The Moon Is Mine
by tookkia
Summary: Nessie is growing fast,Jacob struggles btwn manhood and imprinting, meanwhile, Alice sees an evil plan that threatens everyone;choices will be given, loyalties tested,and Bella will have to choose between the loves of her life...please read, good story
1. Confusion

Hello, this is my first fanfic so please excuse anything that might be not up to par lol. Also, originally this was a rated T fic, however, as of present there has been mention of several mature themes, including sex, violence, and crude language; note that there is nothing TOO explicit. It is certainly not the bulk of the story, but just to be safe I have changed the rating to M. Please remember to review, and I hope you enjoy the story :)

Of course I do not own any of Stephanie Meyers work; the plot alone is mine.

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**************************Nessie**************************************

I woke up with with a start. Another nightmare, I sighed. I'd been having the same nightmare for weeks now, always the same peaceful beginning, and the same awful ending. It was about Jacob…It started off quite nice, Jake would be running around with me on a huge open field under the stars, it was an exhilirating kind of freedom, running into the night with my best friend in the whole world, and then…they would appear out of nowhere, the Volturri. For some reason when I stopped Jake only kept running. I always tried calling out for him to come back to me, but he never did, he would just turn his head, smile at me, and proceed forward to his impending doom. At some point in his path to an undoubtedly swift massacre, I would realize he was doing it for me, to give me a chance to survive, and that only made me feel worse. As he finally approached them, shifting into his canine form, I felt my feet running after him, only to be stopped by an utter blackness, blackness that surrounded me and swallowed me, leaving my poor Jacob to die…It was at this point that I would always wake up, usually in the middle of the night, on the rare occasion in the morning before breakfast. Only once had I been caught, by my mom of course, but never again. I made sure to not think about it around my mind reading father either. The truth is, I had no idea what this dream meant. I remembered vaguely the terrifying encounter with the Volturri when I was a baby, however, what it had to do with Jacob I had no idea.

As if on cue, I heard his familiar voice down the stairs in the den. _Hmmm, that's weird, he's usually outside sleeping right now_. He was whispering hurriedly and…_angrily_? I listened for the other voice, and was surprised when I figured out who it belonged to: Carlisle.

I almost fell out of bed with just the thought; _Carlisle? Being angry? It was impossible_! If anyone was arguing with Jake it would more than likely be Rosalie…_Why would Carlisle be arguing with Jacob?_

I strained my already highly enhanced ears to try and capture the conversation, but it was no use. I only caught words here and there. I sighed, what good was it being half vampire if I couldn't have super hearing like the rest of them? Sure I had better senses than humans, but the fact of the matter was I lived with vampires, not humans. One word suddenly caught my attention.

…_Renesmee_…

_Hmmm, so they were talking about me_? The thought upset me; if I was the cause of the problem then it was _my_ fault that Jake was angry. I could feel tears starting to brim over my eyelids, my shoulders heaving slightly from the quick breaths already escaping my parted mouth. I quickly wiped them away. No need to prove I was just some other crybaby, I needed to be strong, like mother, and…tactful, like Jasper.

I very quietly got out of bed and went over to the doorway. Luckily for me it didn't squeak when I opened it ever so slowly and crawled out, inching my way closer towards the stair but keeping my body as close and pressed to the floor as possibly.

_Ahh, much better_…I listened intently to what I realized was now the end of the conversation.

"You don't understand, she's not even a teenager yet!" Carlisle was saying.

"I know, I know, but she needs to be told, she's already confused about what's going on what with you all up in my tail all the time," Jake was saying angrily.

"We're up there for a good reason. Edward has already told you, Jacob, those thoughts don't belong here, not in this house, while Renesmee's still a child!" Carlisle said.

"Well then he should mind his own business!" Jake retorted back. I could hear the growl that was starting to come out of him. _Uh oh_, I knew whenever Jake got really mad he was at high risk of transforming; Jake wasn't allowed in here as a wolf, and not just by Rosalie's standards either. I chanced a few inches further out the door, the only one that might catch me would be Rosalie, I knew the others had gone out hunting for the night. I glanced over to Rosalie and Emmet's room, but the door was still closed and the light on, no doubt she was still trying on the clothes we'd bought earlier.

I could hear a bit better, but the angry exchange of words were no longer audible, and I knew my silent eavesdropping had come to its end; Jacob's howl could be heard miles away.

I frowned. Carlisle hadn't been the first one to corner Jake like this. I'd caught mommy and daddy hissing at him one time in the backyard and Alice poking him accusingly once after we'd played a game of Twister in the den. I'd won, of course—Jake always let me win—but as soon as he'd fallen over onto his back, I'd jumped onto his lap to laugh at him some more. There was nothing strange about it, Jake held me in his arms all the time, but for some reason—and I'd only noticed this later—Jake had been blushing, pushing me off of his hips hastily and fleeing to the kitchen. I figured he was just being a sore loser so it didn't bother me much, however, when I went to find him, I only saw a very angry Alice poking a very uncomfortable—and ashamed?—Jake accusingly.

I knew something was going on, but no one seemed inclined to fill me on. It was confusing, and very frustrating. _Why was everyone picking on my Jake? And what did I have to do with it_?

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Alright, please review and let me know what you think. The more comments I get the better I can make my story, thanks!


	2. More Confusion

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot of this story.

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**************Nessie***************************

I swallowed my French toast wordlessly thinking about what had happened last night. Maybe Carlisle had misunderstood Jacob, and maybe that's why they had argued in the first place. If there was anyone in this crazy household that knew Jacob, it was me, and I knew Jacob considered me his number one buddy, more so than his own pack, though I could clearly understand why Leah would never take that spot. And besides, Jacob wasn't the only one that noticed my swift growing, everyday Esme and Carlisle measured me, and everyday mommy and daddy told me how beautiful I was. Emmet constantly teased me that at the rate I was growing I would soon be bigger than him! This had greatly awed me until daddy told me he was lying. It seemed, however, that despite my already rapid physical growth, my understanding and knowledge grew way faster. According to Carlisle, I was about ten physically, but mentally I was nearing sixteen. This could be argued, of course, for I had yet to know what sex was, for instance. I remember approaching my daddy one day about it, but before I could even ask, he simply nodded his head no to me.

"Later, Nessie, you're still too young to know about that."

So I went to Jake, naturally, he always gave me what I wanted, however…

"What? I don't know, Nessie, I don't think I should be the one explaining that to you, maybe you should ask your mom." He had said, blushing deeply. Mommy was almost an exact replica of daddy. Having got three no's I quickly realized the rest of the household would be the same story, but I thought I'd give it one last shot, so I went to Rosalie.

"Sex? But you're still a child, are you seeing a boy we don't know about?" I remember the angry look on her face and how she had looked at Jake right after with an evil glare. He simply nodded his head and left the room, again blushing, but I simply sat there confused. What was the big deal? After that I knew I would have to wait. The internet was no dice either, I was always supervised, day and night. Having vampires who never slept around me all the time was inconvenient at times. Jake woke me out my reverie as he landed a huge wet kiss on my forehead.

"Morning, Nessie," he smiled at me. I wiped the slobber off my head but turned and gave him an eager smile, I loved my Jake.

"Hi Jake! Are we going? Are we going?" I asked excitedly. He chuckled at my eagerness as he sat across me.

"Sure, sure, let me just eat really quick."

Mommy and daddy came in next, followed by Carlisle and Rosalie. I noticed they were all eyeing Jacob and I suspiciously, Carlisle not so much but the rest made it quite obvious.

"How did you sleep sweetie?" mommy asked me. She had been asking ever since she walked into my room at the exact moment that I woke up from the nightmare. I lied of course, purposefully thinking about something else so daddy wouldn't catch me.

"It was fine, mommy," I said, reaching across the table to grab another stack of toast. Jacob had moved it closer to his plate; the dining table was quite large so I had to literally hover over the table to grab one, Jake noticed and smiled, pushing the plate forward so I wouldn't have to reach so far. Suddenly daddy growled, loud.

"YOU! Outside, NOW!" he bellowed, pointing at Jacob. I looked at him confused, what now? I looked at my best friend, waiting for his surprised face at my daddy's sudden and pointless outbreak, but instead he got up, head down, and followed him out the door. I made to get up but Rosalie quickly blocked my way.

"But, Rosalie, I want to know why everyone's being so mean to Jake!" I whined.

Rosalie made to answer but mommy beat her to it.

"We're not being mean, Nessie, Jacob's just going through a sort of…phase, right now," she pursed her lips on the word 'phase.' I wasn't won over that easy though.

"What kind of phase?"

Rosalie answered this time, well, more like hissed. "Don't worry, sweetie, it's a mutt thing." My mommy seemed satisfied with this response, as did Carlisle. I knew there was going to be no more explanations. I sighed, were they ever going to fill me in on anything?

**********************Jacob*********************************************

I sat across Nessie, who was busy stuffing her face with French toast. For not liking human food so much, it seemed she had picked up a habit from me nonetheless; the girl could eat. She suddenly got out of her seat to lean across the table… Bad move, as she leaned over her shirt lowered slightly and I could see what was underneath, it made me freeze…was that a…? No, it couldn't be, she was only about ten…but I was sure of it, she had on a bra! I couldn't help it, my eyes fixated on the two small lumps beneath the pink brassiere…if she was already wearing a bra at ten, that meant…I quickly looked up at her smiling face and pushed the plate of French toast towards her, anything to get her to sit back down and stop my disgusting male fantasies about an older, fully developed Renesmee. She smiled again at me and begin to dig into her toast, and I was safe, her best friend again.

Suddenly Edward bellowed at me.

"YOU! Outside, NOW!"

Crap, ok so I was wrong about the safe part.

As I trudged outside after Edward I could feel the stares of the others on my back, including Nessie's. She was confused, no doubt. I cursed silently once again, if she only knew what was going on she would know why everyone was acting so strange. I knew it was driving her insane being left in the dark, and if there was one thing I hated, it was the unhappiness of my Nessie.

"It's for her own good, now listen up, dog," Edward intervened in my thoughts; we were already a good distance from the house.

"How DARE you look at my daughters br—" he sputtered, searching for the right words, anything but that dreaded word to describe his little girls chest, "at her body." he finally decided, "She is only ten, I thought you were supposed to be whatever she needs you to be, and believe me, she does NOT need you the way you're already envisioning her, trust me, I would know!"

I almost laughed; if he was human I'm sure he would have been a purplish shade already. This thought, however, only angered him more, so I quickly dismissed it.

"Hey, I told you I was trying, really I am, and it's not like I'm attracted to her now, it's more like I'm attracted to what she's going to look like in the end?" I made it sound like a question; Edward's eyes were getting bigger and more crazed with every word I said. "What do you want me to do? You're a guy, you know we men have certain urges-"

"I am not a disgusting pig who thinks about how a ten year olds body will look like once it's matured," he spoke dangerously soft now. I made a face at him, seriously, what was I supposed to do?

"You can start by trying harder to keep your thoughts to yourself," Edward continued.

"Well that would be a lot easier if you weren't always butting in," I answered back, getting angry.

"You know that's not an option, so either get it together, or get used to being away from Nessie until she's ready," he finished.

"You know Nessie would miss me, I'm her best friend," I said matter-of-factly, for it was very true that Nessie and I were best friends.

"I am aware of that, however, she will be starting school soon and there are plenty of kids her age to become friends with," he smirked as a shocked look came over my face. Nessie was starting school? What if the kids were mean to her because she was different? What if she hated it? Or worse, what if she loved it? What if she made new friends and forgot about her Jake? What if she met boys…

"Oh I'm sure she will, remember Jacob, just because you've imprinted on Renesmee doesn't mean she will not have the choice. She will always have the choice, and I know you will support her as long as she's happy, no matter how much it hurts you."

I nodded silently. I had always known that if she didn't choose me I would love her nonetheless, and because of my love for her I would do whatever it took to make her happy, even if it meant giving her up. It was like a contract, this imprinting business, I was bound for life, but she wasn't, like Edward pointed out, she had a choice.

I must've looked pretty glum, for Edward looked at me and sighed, "Don't worry too much about it, Jacob, Nessie has loved you since before she was even born, so I'm sure she'll end up with you in the end," his face became stern again, " but for now, best friends, that's it."

I nodded, "Got it."

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Ok, so that's it for chapter two, I don't want to sound redundant to every author, but please review! I would greatly appreciate what you think of my story so far. Thanks!


	3. Riding

Here you go, chapter three.

Of course I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, she is a genius, I am not worthy! Lol, I only own the plot to this story.

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*********************Renesmee******************************************

Billy was looking more and more haggard these days. I noticed also that it hurt Jacob whenever I asked why this was, so I stopped. I knew he was old, but, like Jacob, I had assumed he couldn't die that easily. From the looks of it though, that was definitely not the case.

"My, my, you get prettier every day Nessie," he was saying. Jake had promised me we'd come to La Push today, I only came about once a month. My family never came with me though, always just Jake and I. I liked it in La Push, especially the beach. Mommy would always smile whenever I told her about First Beach, but she never told me why. Today Jake was going to show me some bike of his. I was excited, and since I was almost as indestructible as my family, mommy and daddy had let me come.

Jake led me to his garage where his new bike was. I gasped when I saw it.

"Whoa! That's a big bike!" I exclaimed, circling it like a lioness. It was almost as tall as me! "Can I ride it? Can I? Pleeeease?" I began hopping up and down anxiously.

Jake chuckled, "Well, I can take you for a ride in it if you'd like, but I'd have to show you how to drive it first if you want to go by yourself."

"But, you know I won't get hurt," I laughed, stepping onto the side in preparation to mount; Jake was by my side in a second.

"I know that, but your mom would kill me if I let you go by yourself," he said, easily scooping me off the seat and reseating me behind him, "so hold on for now."

And we were off.

It was awesome. We raced down a dirt road between the trees and I was surprised when some of the colors actually looked blurry. No matter how fast I'd ever gone, I could always distinguish every tree, every rock, but not this time. _So this is what human eyesight must look like_…I laughed aloud.

"What's so funny?" Jake asked.

"Nothing really, it's just that we're going so fast my eyes are a little behind," I answered, scooting closer so he could hear me; it wasn't necessary of course. "I was wondering if this is what humans see when they think they're going fast."

Jake laughed, "Yea, it's something like that."

I laughed in response and let go of his waist, my legs were strong enough to keep me from falling off. The wind blew my hair violently behind me and I could feel it slightly against my face, it felt good. I felt free, clear from any troubling thoughts. The trees were never-ending, as if running their own race against us, but even they couldn't win, not against Jake and I; we were unstoppable. The speed was exhilarating, like a huge breath after being underwater for a very long time. Not even daddy could go this fast; I placed one arm around Jake's abdomen, sharing this thought. He laughed and gave the bike yet more gas. I could fly if I wanted.

After a few more minutes I could see that the road was ending. I frowned as the bike steadily came to a halt. There were two ways we could go, to the right, or back the way we came from. Jake seemed to be deep in thought as he looked at the two roads. I pressed my hand onto his chest from behind.

_What's wrong Jake? _

Jake sighed, "It's nothing Ness, there's just something I need to take care of, that's all." I thought this over for a second, and pressed again.

_Jake, everyone's mad at you, why?_

I felt his body tense, but he didn't answer. I pressed again, almost shyly.

_Is it because of me?_

He must have heard the heartbreak in my thoughts, for this time he turned around and gave me my favorite grin.

"No, honey, of course not, it has nothing to do with you, it's all my own doing," he assured me. I gave him a puppy dog face. He laughed and cupped my face in one of his huge hands.

"Now, now, none of that, I told you, it's my own fault, it's one of those wolf-vampire things," he said, carefully, as if trying to find the perfect words without revealing anything. Yea right, as if I was that stupid.

I scowled. _You're not going to tell me, huh?_

Jake nodded, a sad shadow in his eyes. I sighed.

"Where are we going now?" I asked, resigned for the moment.

"Well," said Jake, trying to sound chipper, "if we head back the way we came from we'll end up in La Push…going right is a shortcut to your house." He pretended to scowl when he motioned to the right. I decided then and there.

"Let's go right then," I said. He didn't want to tell me what was going on; two could play that game.

Jake looked surprised, and then hurt. I almost changed my mind at his expression, but he simply nodded and turned around in his seat. "Hang on," was all he said.

I held on like he said, but I felt bad now. I was just as bad as my family, hurting Jake for no reason.

We raced down the new road, only this time, I felt like the wind was pushing against us, forcing us away from the freedom we'd felt just moments before.

***************************Jacob****************************************

Heartbreak. That's what it felt like to deny her. But what else could I do? If I so much as hinted at why everyone was getting on my ass I might as well say good bye to her now. I could stand Barbie messing with my head every second of everyday, and Edward reading every private thought in my being, Esme not cooking for me like before, I could even stand Bella not talking to me, but I could never stand being away from Renesmee, that would be horrible and cruel torture.

I could feel the flutter of her heart as I took her back home. My own heart seemed to answer every beat of hers, in perfect sync, but of course she wouldn't have noticed something like that, at least not now.

I was thinking about what Carlisle had said to me last night, how Nessie wasn't to be told anything about the whole imprinting deal. It was absolute bull, in my opinion, I mean, she was going to find out eventually, right? So far our relationship had been exactly the way it should have been, first the big brother, second the best friend, and third…that was the part everyone except myself was dreading. And if imprinting was true to its word, then Nessie would fall into that third category without any complaints either, so what was everyone's deal? It's not like I was going to grab her now and make sweet love to her…though in a short time I was positive the idea would appeal to her as well as myself. Right now Nessie still saw me as her best friend, which she should be considering she was barely about ten. I myself still saw her as my best friend, but one unexpected thing about her on my part was causing all the commotion. Her body was beginning to hint at what her adolescent self was going to look like. Her narrow little waist was no longer cute little baby fat, and her once pudgy legs were now beginning to lean out as well. Having held her enough times, I also felt the more defined muscle on her thighs and arms, and no matter what little girl outfit she had on I would be blind if I didn't see that she was already showing her curves. Knowing that this progression was just the beginning of her adulthood, I could already imagine what the grown up Nessie was going to look like…wow. This was all expected, of course, she was half vampire for crying out loud, thus bound to be gorgeous, we all knew this, so why was I suddenly barely realizing how hot she was going to be later?

Of course, aside from being an imprinted shape-shifter, I had forgotten one thing…I was also male. Sure, sure, I knew I could only be Nessie's friend right now, but that didn't stop my male instincts from reacting to what was to come, especially when Nessie grew so fast. How inconvenient that male hormones and imprinting got in each other's way. The situation would've been fine, of course, as these thoughts were never spoken aloud, if it wasn't for her invasive mind reading father. Edward had approached me after my second daydream or so. He was quite scary when he wanted to be, I hated to admit. He simply told me to keep my disgusting male thoughts about his ten year old daughter out of mind, and that I was lucky Bella couldn't hear word for word what I was daydreaming about.

Now that was scary, Bella still had some of her newborn strength on her side, and when it came to Renesmee or Edward, she was not someone to battle with. After about my fifth daydream, Edward went to Carlisle. I was oddly surprised when my conversation with Carlisle turned into an argument, Carlisle had always been the understanding one, but I guess the fact that it dealt with his only granddaughter changed things.

I thought that maybe if I told Nessie about the whole imprinting thing it would be easier to not think about the future so much, that maybe Nessie could kind of help me out. On the plus side, she also wouldn't be confused or anything when our relationship started turning into that third category, she would know that it was normal due to her being my imprint. However, when I brought up these points to Carlisle, he refused me.

I sighed; it's not that I didn't understand what they all meant. Of course, Nessie was their baby, she was the only baby, and yet…It had been a little over two years since the Volturri came, and now…Renesmee was already ten. Ten. I of course had done the calculations, along with the blood suckers; Nessie would be at her full growth within the next year or two, or possibly sooner. This, along with her physical growth, bothered me, not in the sense that I didn't want it, but because I wanted it so much. It was disconcerting, how much my male instincts were suddenly kicking in. I had never been with a girl; yup, alpha Jacob Black is a virgin, but it wasn't like I could just go out and sleep with whatever floozy came my way in the meantime. There was only one girl I wanted, one girl I would lose myself to; up until recently I was perfectly fine with waiting, the thought had never even really crossed my mind, but I suppose hormones only have so much patience.

Her thoughts came flooding into my mind, causing me to jump slightly. She was apologizing for ending our day at La Push so early. I turned and grinned at her.

"It's ok, Ness, I'm happy as long as I'm with you." This made her ecstatic; she gave me a dazzling smile in return and hugged me. We were already nearing the Cullen property.

_Jake, you're my best friend, I love you._

"You're my best friend too, Nessie, I'll always love you."

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Ok so what do you think? Please, please review, I'd like to know what you all think, thanks!


	4. Tennis Anyone?

Again, I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's genius work, just the little plots on their way.

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***********************Nessie****************************************

That night I had the same dream, only this time, when I tried chasing Jake I actually followed him for a while longer before the blackness settled in. I also remember, quite clearly I might add, the pain it felt to lose my best friend, only it felt like more…hmmm…I woke up like always, only this time I didn't bolt upright like usual either. I had my back to the door and my eyes took in the darkness of my room when I stifled a breath; I could see perfectly of course, but it wasn't that that caught my attention, I had caught a whiff of pine and soil and wild, the best smell in the world.

What was Jake doing in my room this late?

I heard his soft steps as he came closer to my bed; for some reason I closed my eyes and pretended I was still asleep. I was a notorious actor, something I had picked up from my talented family. I heard Jake's intake of air before he sighed; I almost groaned, it was the same sigh I'd been hearing from him a lot lately. Seriously, what was up with him? I almost turned around but the sudden weight of his body stopped me; he had sat next to me.

I reminded myself to continue breathing like I was asleep, and not to fidget as much. He placed one of his hands on my head and started to stroke my hair.

I could have purred, it felt so good. Without thinking I snuggled closer, still with my back to him and smiled. He stopped for a second, uh oh? People do that when they're asleep, right? I felt his hand back on my head and relaxed. Before I knew it I was sound asleep, a dreamless and peaceful sleep…

***********************Jacob********************************************

She looked so peaceful, so innocent, sleeping like that. She looked nothing like what she was to become either, and I realized the way she looked now was the way she looked to everyone else, a child. I began to stroke her hair absentmindedly, and she snuggled closer to me, my little Nessie.

I heard the silent footsteps of someone coming up the stairs, but I didn't move. Let them find me here, I was doing nothing wrong. Bella appeared in the doorway, Edward standing behind her. She looked at me with a warning in her eye, and only budged slightly when Edward slid past her and came to my side.

"Yes, Jacob, you are correct, this is what we see. Do you not understand now, how important it is for us that she be kept in the dark about it all?" he said.

I just nodded. I felt at peace, oddly, sitting by my Nessie and her nosy father. Edward chuckled.

"Sorry, but I have to look out for my daughter," he hesitated, and then put a hand on my shoulder, "thank you, Jacob, for trying. I understand how hard it must be for you."

I turned to look at him but he had already left the room, Bella trailing behind him. I could hear him whisper to her that everything was fine, that I was thinking only pure thoughts.

I sighed, _if only it was this easy all the time_.

The next few days passed quickly, too quickly. Nessie would be starting school next week, in three days to be exact. I wasn't very happy with the ordeal, despite the circumstance I had managed to set up. Nessie was going to go to school at the reservation. I'd thought of this idea quite suddenly. Considering her quick growth, I knew it would be easy for people to notice. This was to my advantage; our reservation housed about fifteen shape-shifters, some of who still attended school, and so even though Nessie grew faster than any human I knew, she wouldn't be the first freak of nature in La Push. It was perfect, this way I could at least see her through the thoughts of my younger brothers.

Of course, I would much rather her be home schooled.

Given my argument, I had convinced Carlisle and Bella that going to school on the reservation would be best, and come on, those two were the only ones I really needed to convince anyway.

The only problem with my proposition was the fact that none of the Cullens would be able to pick her up or drop her off. This was also to my advantage, it meant I would be the one chaperoning her everyday to and from school. Again, I would still prefer she not go at all, but things were looking at least a little hopeful.

On another positive note, I'd kept my thoughts stowed away. Not once had I slipped since that night in Nessie's room. This, I think, is what convinced Bella to let me get away with Nessie going to school at La Push, and so I was very careful to not think about any more 'disgusting male fantasies.'

I almost lost it too, two days before class Alice decided to pick out Nessie's first day of school outfit.

"Nessie, don't even argue with me, I already know that you're going to love what I put you in," she told a disgruntled Nessie. A dislike of attention seemed to be another trait she'd picked up from Bella. I could understand though, since Nessie was the only baby in a house full of rich vampires, she'd been the center of attention since she could remember. I suppose it was finally catching up to her as she got older, and, like Bella, she was starting to shy away from it.

"How could you know that I love it when you can't even see me clearly?" Nessie countered. I laughed; Alice couldn't see us hybrids very well, and Nessie was no idiot.

Alice looked offended. "Are you implying that anyone I dress doesn't look fabulous? I don't need a vision to tell me that my fashion sense is always on target. You should have seen what I did for your mother on her wedding day."

Bella smiled, she was sitting on the armrest of a chair Edward was sitting on. I could've sworn there were moments when it was his hand instead of the chair under her bottom. _So much for setting the example…_ Edward shot me an exasperated glance before he quietly folded his hands on his lap.

_Ha!_

"I know, I know, it's just, well it's my first day, I don't want people to think I'm some rich, little, spoiled brat," Nessie huffed.

Emmet came into the room. "What? Don't be ridiculous, Ness, you're not a rich, little, spoiled brat, you're a REALLY rich, little spoiled brat." Nessie threw the remote at him before Alice dragged her upstairs to the awaiting outfit.

Five minutes later Alice came down, with a wicked smug on her face. "Now really, I am the best," she gloated, and then she came out.

I felt my jaw drop. Nessie was wearing a white skirt that reached just above her knees, a pink, fitting, low collar, sleeveless shirt, and some white slip on tennis shoes. She looked sort of like a tennis player, but that's not the first thing I thought.

She looked so much older. I couldn't help but notice her long legs, now quite visible without her usual 'little girl' clothes. She came downstairs with a blush, and instead of laughing at her, I found myself momentarily entranced. A loud 'ahem' caught my attention. I looked over to find five vampires staring at me, each with the same mental message: _don't even think about it_.

_Crap,_ but what were they expecting? Telling me to behave and then springing this—I couldn't find words to describe her, she looked so grown up. Alice was right, her fashion sense was amazing. I chanced a glance at her; she looked upset, and slightly disappointed. I assumed it was the way I had reacted; of course Alice had had more faith in me. She had always been kinder to me than Rosalie. I felt bad for upsetting her, but what else could I do?

"What? Why is everyone all quiet? Do I look bad?" Nessie asked, her brow furrowing in worry, she made to go back upstairs, but Bella responded.

"No, dear, no, we're just speechless is all," she said, "you look beautiful."

Nessie smiled, "Really?" she turned to me this time, I fought to keep my eyes on her face. "What do you think, Jake?"

I gulped before answering, "You look gorgeous, Ness."

She beamed, then turned to flee back upstairs, no doubt to change back into her other clothes. Alice would make sure to have her first day of school outfit pressed once more.

I quickly averted my eyes from Nessie's bobbing figure as she headed back upstairs, I knew if I looked I'd get more than glares this time from the bloodsuckers.

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Ok, so what do you think? Review, review! Thanks!


	5. Distractions

Yay! I finally got one review, thanks so much pixielou! I have hope now, though I would really like some more reviews…please? Lol, well here's chapter five. Again, review!

Stephanie Meyer's work is not mine whatsoever, I solely own the plot to this story.

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*******************************Bella************************************

Saying I was worried was an understatement. I was terrified, which I'm guessing is a really, really strong sentiment considering vampire standards. Here I was, not even five years of age as a vampire, and my ten-going-on-eleven year old daughter was starting school in the one place I couldn't protect her. How had Jake convinced me to let her go again?

Oh yeah, it was because he'd used the 'f' word.

"You wouldn't want her to feel like a _freak_, right Bella?" he'd asked.

_Damn him_; Jake knew me so well. From my fuzzy memories as a human, I remembered quite well the feeling of being singled out. It was torture, and if Renesmee was anything like me, she would hate it also. So, why not go to school with other 'freaks?'

Of course, I would never consider my beautiful, baby, girl a freak, but it wouldn't be so simple to convince the humans otherwise. At La Push she could at least make some new friends; friends more than likely already familiar with the supernatural. It worried me, even despite how many times Jake told me he'd keep an eye on her whilst I'd waved good bye to my daughter on her first day of school.

Renesmee looked happy, and definitely much more confident than I'd felt on my first day at school in Forks. I kind of guessed Jake had a lot to do with that, he had already lined up his brothers in the pack to accept Nessie with open arms.

Well, not too open of course. If one boy so as much as looked at Nessie too happily, Jake would make the rest of his life miserable.

This, of course, was the other thing that bothered me. Jake was noticing Renesmee, not the way we all were, but the woman she was so soon to become. I hated the fact that within one year my baby was going to want to paw over my best friend the way Edward and I did.

Edward.

The thought of him alone made my mouth water, not in a 'human's blood' way, but with as much necessity, as much passion. I couldn't seem to get enough of him, the nights were never long enough, and even forever seemed like a far ways off when I wasn't with him. It would be so much easier to be with him if we were alone during the day, but of course Nessie-

_Renesmee! Oh shoot, I'd done it again_.

I would like to say that being a vampire was the reason I was so easily distracted with the mere thought of my gorgeous husband, Edward, but I'd be lying. Even as a human, that one night alone on Isle Esme was enough to drive any girl insane; as a vampire it was more pleasurable by one hundredfold. I constantly reminded myself during the day to wait till 'bedtime' for the pleasure Edward and I could erupt in within a second of lack of concentration, but with great difficulty. Edward was no better than I; I often found his tantalizing touch on various parts of my body throughout the day. He usually seemed just as surprised as I with how his hands got there in the first place.

I sighed. I could imagine how difficult it must be for Jake, anticipating the beautiful girl my daughter was going to become and knowing she was going to be his.

Well, if she chose. I had made it very clear that should my Renesmee want someone else, or not want Jake when he wanted her, she would be free to do as she chose. Jake had agreed wholeheartedly, to my surprise, however, both he and Edward seemed confident Renesmee would want no one but Jacob. I could see how they both believed strongly in the imprinting process, but I wasn't ready to give up yet. Deep down I knew they were right, but if I could believe a flaw in their concept of imprinting could occur, it meant Renesmee could be my baby for awhile longer.

I felt arms encircle my waist, and I immediately relaxed under the intoxicating smell that was Edward.

"What are you thinking about?" he said softly in my ear. I don't think I will ever get used to the thrill he sends through my body as if it were the first time. What was I thinking? With him so close to me like that, like he need ask? I shook off my shield so he could hear my thoughts.

Edward's eyebrows shot up and he grinned mischievously. "Hmmm, now THAT is a very interesting idea."

I returned a dazzling smile. We didn't wait another second, in less than thirty seconds we were in our cottage, not even our clothes made it inside…

***************************Edward**************************************

It was amazing, being able to finally hear Bella's thoughts. We were lying in bed, with the exception of having clothes on now. I highly doubt I'd be able to just lie here otherwise. I smiled as Bella thought the same thing. We'd forced ourselves to stop, for the moment, we had some things to discuss concerning Renesmee. It just didn't seem appropriate to do so while we were 'busy.'

"So, does Jacob know she's going to mature so soon?" she asked me.

I nodded, "No, he is still under the impression it could take up to two years, but Carlisle is certain, her growth rate has been increasing, we couldn't tell in the beginning because there was so much anxiety to deal with. It seems negative emotions play a part in the speed of her growth."

Bella stayed silent for a moment. I could see the questions in her thoughts, and so I answered.

"She's been so happy these last two years, she's grown at almost double the speed she initially started off at. If it keeps up, she'll be sixteen by June."

Bella started. "But, it's already August, so it will be less than a year?"

I pulled her in for an embrace, "Almost indefinitely," I paused, thinking over Bella's next thought. "Do you really think you'd have the capacity to make Renesmee unhappy?"

Bella sighed, "No, of course not, it was just a thought, but still, even if we could just make her a _little_ unhappy, enough to extend her childhood another year or so…"

But I knew nobody could make our Nessie unhappy, everyone just loved her too much. Bella thought the same, and if she could cry I knew she would be. Her expression was agony to me.

"Just hang in there, Bella, we'll figure something out."

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Ok, so if you're at all confused with this chapter, let me know, also please, please review! If I don't get any reviews, I feel I might give up halfway through the story, and I really don't want to do that cuz I have so much planned for it. Thanks! Oh, and uh, review!


	6. Snack Time?

Here's chapter six.

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, duh! All I own is the plot to this story.

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********************Nessie******************************************

I recognized some of the faces as I walked into my classroom. Jake had talked the principal into letting me go straight into seventh grade. I assumed it was something to do with my growth rate, so I could fit in easier. Luckily for me I had Tom and Oliver, twin brothers, with me; they were shape-shifters also, and though I hadn't really spoken to them often, they seemed to welcome me quite graciously. This, I suspected, was also Jake's doing.

"Just do what we do, pretend you're listening, and they'll never call on you," Oliver whispered to me, so low I knew nobody but me had heard. We sat near the front, another ploy, I was sure, that we were paying attention. Much to my disappointment, however, I found I didn't need to pay attention; the teacher, Mr. Stolls, was lecturing over the American revolution. Daddy had taught me all about American history, not to mention, world history, geography, stocks, and some other stuff.

The rest of the class was pretty much the same, it seemed a member of my family had already taught me every subject Mr. Stolls lectured. I began to get really bored, and I yawned. When would this day ever end?

Thankfully, Tom and Oliver kept me somewhat entertained, when they had the opportunity anyway. They took turns sending spit wads into various parts of the classroom, one even into Mr. Stolls shaggy hair. They offered me a straw, but I declined, too worried that, with my luck, I'd get caught. Finally, around 10: 30, we were dismissed for a break.

"Break?" I asked Tom, as we walked out the door, " Like lunch time already?"

They looked at me like I'd just sprouted rabbit ears. Tom replied, "Well, not exactly, it's more like a quick snack, since we start school so early here, we get out earlier than regular schools, plus electives aren't required here, so we get out at around twelve twenty."

Oliver interrupted, "Yea, and these turds figure as long as they don't have us till four they don't have to feed us lunch, so we only get a twenty minute break."

"Oh," was all I said. So it was more like Asian schools? I shrugged, that was fine by me I guess. I made my way towards one of the outside benches, Tom and Oliver both followed. I figured maybe they were keeping an eye on me, and the thought upset me, I didn't want them to hang out with me just because they had orders to do so, I wanted friends.

They sat one on each side of me.

"So," I asked casually, "what are you guys going to snack on?"

Both boys grinned, and pulled out an identical paper bag. It was bulging. They each pulled out what looked like a huge sandwich, a bag of chips, some leftover lasagna in Tupperware, a piece of watermelon, the biggest blueberry muffin I had ever seen, and a coke.

My eyes grew large, "That's a snack?" I asked.

Oliver looked confused, "Yeah, this will only keep us till about one," he looked over at my bare hands, noticing I had nothing, "Why? Did you want some?" He looked worried, afraid I'd say yes probably. I laughed out loud.

Both boys looked at each other confused. I could see how people could mistake them now, they looked identical.

"No, no, I don't even like human food much, to be honest," I admitted. They laughed with me.

"Well, I'd let you suck my blood but I'm afraid there's too many witnesses around," said Tom, trying to keep a straight face. He failed, of course, and had us all laughing again.

Ok, so maybe they weren't just hanging out with me on orders. I smiled…friends. Jake was the only friend I had outside of my family. I watched the two boys as they stuffed their faces. They managed to eat and laugh at the same time. I noticed how small they were compared to most shape-shifters I'd seen. Then again, they were only supposed to be like twelve. _How weird_, I thought. Curiosity got the better of me.

"How come you guys changed so young? I mean, don't you all usually get all humongous and old looking first?" I said.

Oliver looked at Tom; Tom looked pensive for a moment, then said, "Actually, I don't know, one day we were running around the forest, chasing our dog Snookums 'cuz he'd stolen a hot dog from Oliver, and then we smelled something horrible," he took another bite of his sandwich, "and the next thing we knew we were wolves."

"Yeah, but when everyone else found out, they were just as confused as we were, considering when we changed back we still looked like little kids," Oliver continued, "See, when Colin and Brady transformed, they were kids too, but after being a wolf, they went from looking like a thirteen year old kid to about nineteen. It really freaked out their moms too."

"Yeah," laughed Tom, "she didn't even recognize them after their first transformation was over."

I hesitated, "Wait, did you just say you were chasing a dog to get a hot dog back?"

Tom grinned, "Well, it was a really good hot dog."

I made a gagging sound, but laughed. I guess it made sense for a wolf to steal back a hot dog from a dog.

"So, anyway, I guess we're like, I don't know, shape- shifters gone wrong or something," finished Oliver, finishing the rest of his meal. I yearned to find out more but at that moment-

"Yikes! It's already been thirty minutes! We're late!" exclaimed Tom.

_Crap, my first day of school and I'm already late. _

We hurried inside, careful not to go any faster than human speed.

"Oh and that awful smell," said Oliver as we were nearing the classroom, "don't worry, you don't smell anything like it," he smiled at me, "you smell amazing."

We burst into the classroom and quickly took our seats, a stern looking Mr. Stolls raising his eyebrows at us, but I didn't mind too much, I was blushing.

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Alright, alright, so maybe some of you can guess what may or may not happen in the near future, but you'll see . Please let me know what you all think, thanks!


	7. Squishy Bear

Here's chapter seven, hope you like! And for the nth time, please review, please, please, otherwise I'm going to think my story is just a waste of space…ok that sounds a bit dramatic hehe

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's marvelous work, solely the plot to this story.

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***************************Jacob****************************************

I couldn't help but smile when Nessie came running towards me after school. She was grinning from ear to ear.

"Hi, Ness, how was sch-" but she jumped into my arms, catching me off guard.

"You were right, Jake! It was great! Well, it does suck that we have no lunch break, but it's ok, oh and Tom and Oliver are great! Thanks again, Jake, I know you told them to keep an eye on me" I tried not to look guilty, "but it turned out ok 'cuz they were really cool and we all got along great."

I set her down throughout her little babble and waited patiently as she told me all about the rest of her day. I was grateful to Tom and Oliver, two of my packs very recent brothers, but as Nessie continued, I noticed more of the details included them. This thought made my blood boil, despite the fact that I was the one who had told them to befriend her in the first place. Nevertheless, I couldn't help but wonder if there was a possibility of more than friendship.

"Sounds like you're going to like it here at La Push," I said, managing to hide the anger, anger I was feeling towards my brothers for no legitimate reason.

"Yeah," Nessie smiled, calming me down, especially when she said, "Tom and Oliver really are great friends, but it would be nice to have some girlfriends too."

I sighed in relief. I'd looked too much into it after all, then I laughed; of course there was nothing special between Nessie and either of the boys, she was MY imprint after all.

"Jake? Hello? Anyone in there?" Nessie was saying. I looked at her and smiled.

"Race you hom-" but she was already taking off. I followed behind her, noticing grimly and yet intriguingly how her skirt flew wildly around her.

_Damn, I'm going to have to talk to Alice about that if I'm going to be around her so often._

***************************Edward**************************************

Nessie had been attending school in La Push for almost a month now, and by some miracle, she loved it. Of course, why wouldn't she? She was with fellow hybrids, kids her age that could relate to her…well at least somewhat.

Jacob was also still around, another miracle. He had kept his word and not thought about 'Renesmee the woman' any more, at least not in my presence. I hoped it was likewise in other places as well, but I knew that might be asking too much.

What surprised me even more, however, was that Renesmee was nearing about eleven already. It was quite obvious too, as much as I hated to admit it to myself; she was showing signs of becoming a young woman.

Bella was getting more and more agitated with each passing day and the idea of slowing down Renesmee's growth by making her unhappy was becoming very tempting. Everyday she would come home full of happy thoughts to share, especially of her new friends, Tom and Oliver. That in itself was another issue; I had caught Jacob several times mulling over the possibility of anything more than friendship surfacing between Nessie and either of the boys. At first this thought had intrigued me, if Nessie fell for someone else when she got older, what would happen with the imprint?

We had always had this in the back of our minds; however, I had been almost completely sure that, given the bond of imprinting, it would never happen. I'd been scouting out Nessie's thoughts but nothing appeared unusual…still though, if Jacob was worried, maybe Nessie really did have a choice.

I watched her as she came bounding into the house, Jacob behind her with his eyes averted. I listened to his thoughts but he seemed to be thinking about his father. I suddenly felt bad for him, I knew Billy was sick, Carlisle had told us there was not much left to do for him, any treatment could end up killing him so it was better he live as best as he could and as long as he could.

"Hi, Daddy," Nessie kissed me on the cheek and then went running around the house, calling out, "Emmet!" She ran right into him as he rounded the corner into the den, but instead of bumping into him, he scooped her up and carried her over to the couch.

"Whoa! What's up with you? Are you on, like, some kind of sugar rush or something?" he laughed.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Look! Look! Oliver gave this to me today after class, and I just haaaad to show it to you," she pulled out what looked like a miniature squishy bear that oozed out fake blood from its neck, as if it'd been bitten by a fellow squishy vampire. "Isn't it cute!" she said, squeezing it for emphasis. Emmet was all over it. Anyone of us could see why he would be the one she'd go to with an insignificant toy bear; Emmet had almost died as a human from a bear attack and would have if it hadn't been for Rosalie.

"I'm going to hang this in our room," he was saying, but Nessie suddenly snatched it from him.

"What do you mean? It's mine," she looked at him through narrowed eyes, "Oliver gave it to me, I just thought you should be the first one to see it, 'cuz you know…" she was saying, though her eyes were suspicious; he might try to take it back. I looked at her in surprise; Nessie was not one to take offense easily, but her thoughts were all aimed negatively at Emmet for thinking the toy bear was for him. I contemplated Emmet's responding thoughts; he was just as surprised as I was with her little outburst, however, he simply looked at her for a moment, and then let out a roar of a laugh.

_Uh oh_. "Emmet, don't say-" I started to say, but was too late.

"OOOooh! Nessie's got a boyfriend!" he bellowed. This, apparently, was the wrong thing to say. Several things happened at once.

At first Nessie said nothing in return. I looked over at my daughter, and sure enough, she was bright red; I couldn't tell if it was because of Emmet's comment, or if she was angry. I looked around the room...and there was Bella, shielding Renesmee's thoughts. I gave her a look, but she simply nodded.

The other thing that happened: Jacob began shaking, and within two seconds was out the door. Nessie didn't notice, but did seem to come to her senses. I was expecting an angry retort, considering her sudden temper flare, but instead-

"No, he only gave it to me because his parents were making them clean the attic and it was just there," she looked at Emmet straight in the face, "We're just friends."

Emmet was going to keep going but I intervened with a sharp glare in his direction. He took the hint.

"Ok, Nessie, no need to get angry, I'm just messing with my baby niece," he said, rumpling her hair. Nessie scowled, and then ran up to her room, her sudden light mood gone gray.

Bella smiled at me as she followed her upstairs.

***************************Bella****************************************

"Sweety, is everything ok?" I asked Nessie, she was sitting on her bed, making the fake blood go in and out of the squishy bear. She didn't look upset, more pensive if anything.

She looked at me for a moment before she sighed, "I don't know, I feel kind of different lately, like all of a sudden I'm noticing things I never noticed before."

"Like what?"

Nessie looked uncomfortable, she shifted her eyes from mine when she spoke, "Well, for one I don't think Jake likes Tom and Oliver that much."

This was something Edward had already talked to me about, how Jacob was suspecting things that weren't even real.

"I mean, I know Jake's my best friend and all, but it's not like I'm replacing him, I think he might be jealous because of that," she said sadly. If only she knew how close to the truth she was. I waited, knowing there was more.

"And there's one more thing," she hesitated, "don't laugh, ok?"

"I promise."

"Well," she bit her bottom lip, a habit she'd inherited from me, "you know how I grow a lot faster than normal? Well, lately I feel like it's even faster, and well," and now she was blushing. What on earth…

"I think my training bra's are too small," she said in a small voice. I couldn't help it, I laughed.

"Mommy!" she looked at me horrified.

"I'm sorry," and I really was, "but we're going to have to speak to Alice about that, she's in charge of your wardrobe. Don't worry, we'll give her a hard time about it, I can't believe she didn't notice. I'm sorry, honey, I can imagine how uncomfortable you must be feeling, but don't worry, its natural."

She winced at the word 'natural' as if natural was something that could describe her, a half-human, half-vampire. She still looked slightly embarrassed, as if noticing her body was changing was a crime. I went over and sat next to her.

"You're going to be changing a lot in the next year, Nessie," I said, trying to keep the fear of that revelation out of my voice. "And I mean both body and mind, so if you feel like you need to talk about anything, even it's about personal things like your body, remember you can always come to me," I told her, then adding as an afterthought, "Remember, I was human once, so I know all about the awkwardness of puberty."

Nessie made a face, "But, I'm not completely human, so why should I have to go through _that_?" The way she said it made it sound like some kind of disease infested germ.

"Well, to be honest, we don't know what you're going to go through, but either way, there's a good possibility it's going to be weird for you, especially since you're growing so fast."

She nodded, placing her hand on mine to let me know she understood. She sent me another question.

"Yes, that's another thing you're going to be confused about," I laughed. "But don't worry, you'll be fine, any boy would be crazy not to like you." though in the back of my mind I dreaded the one boy who would soon be crazily in love with her.

Nessie smiled, sharing her thoughts with me.

_Don't worry, no boys yet. _

"So," I asked her, teasing her, "There really is nothing going on with Oliver?"

She looked at me and rolled her eyes, "No, mommy, I told you guys, we're just friends, and Tom too."

"Ok then." I got up to leave, leaving her to her thoughts. She had said very clearly that she had no interest in either boy, but as I took a final glance in her direction, I could see the idea, now brought to her attention, merited interest.

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Ok this chapter wasn't too exciting, but just wait…review first! Thanks.


	8. Suspicions

Alright, this chapter is all Jacob, well his point of view anyway, I hope you like it. Oh and I finally figured out how to see how many people have been reading…where are the reviews?!!? Please, I'm just a way shorter than average girl with dreams…lol, well anyway, thanks to the whole two users that have reviewed, you're what's giving me hope, but again, more reviews would be nice, at least to tell me what you think? Thanks.

Once more, I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot to this story.

*****************************Jacob***************************************************

I ran.

I was already nearing Canada, disregarding the slaps of fir and branches all over my body; usually I was very careful not to trample over even the smallest animal, but not today, I just went in a straight path. The wind howled through my ears, accompanying me in my moment of panic. I didn't know where I was going, I just had to get away before my head exploded. I needed to calm down, to reassure myself that I was being completely stupid for freaking out over nothing.

I forced bitter thoughts of envy out of my head, failing miserably despite the feelings some of my brothers tried calming me down with; Tom was one of them. He insisted and insisted that there was nothing whatsoever going on between Nessie and his brother, or himself for that matter. When that didn't work, he began throwing it in my face that I was the one who had told them to befriend her in the first place, though I caught his afterthought that it was an inevitable friendship nonetheless.

_Yes_, he said to me, _FRIENDSHIP_!

_Why did she blush then? _I responded angrily.

I could picture him shrugging as he thought_. _

_I don't know, she's a girl, girls blush._

_Yeah, plus, don't you remember how Bella used to blush all the time? _Another voice added: Seth. _She probably picked it up from her._

I kept silent for a bit, considering for the first time that perhaps that was the case.

_Where's Oliver?_ I demanded.

_Let me get him_, thought Tom, with an air of impatience before he disappeared.

I kept on running, feeling slightly better. Very slightly.

Even if Oliver wasn't anything like _that_ to Nessie, there would always be the possibility of someone else being it; until now I had never really considered it.

Nessie was MY imprint, she belonged to ME. Everyone else's imprint cooperated, so why should mine be any different?

_It could be because she's part vampire… _another voice: Quil.

_What do you mean?_

_Well, they're very stubborn, the Cullens I mean, and Bella…_

He had a point, Bella was beyond stubborn…then again, there was no proof Nessie liked anyone else- at least I was starting to believe there really was nothing going on between her and Oliver- so maybe their stubborness wouldn't affect Nessie at all? Maybe she would be just as willing to be with me as I had always assumed she would?

_What's up, Jacob? _

_Oliver,_I got right to the point_, is there anything going on between you and Nessie?_

_What? Renesmee? No way, dude, I'm too young to even LIKE girls, what gave you that idea?_

_Oh…_was all I could think back in return. So maybe I had overreactted…

_Ok, go home then._

_But, you called me out just for that? Tom told me it was an emergency, I tore my boxers---_

_I SAID go home._

_Geez, alright, alright._

I heard Oliver mumble some curses towards me for making him tear his underwear, but I didn't care. I felt better now, much better than I had five minutes ago. I changed course and made my way back.

(An hour later)

I walked into the Cullen's house quietly, taking a quick whiff to make sure Nessie was here for the evening and not at her parents' cottage instead. I don't even know why they bother telling her she can sleep there, what with all the racket they make at night…

"Jake!" she came tumbling down the stairs, "Guess where I'm going?"

I smiled at her, glad my earlier state of mind was gone. "I don't know where are you going?"

"I'm taking her shopping,"answered Alice, who had just appeared out of nowhere.

"Shopping?" I asked, "Again?"

Alice answered again, "We need to restock some things."

"But you guys just did that like, two weeks ago, what more could Nessie--" but I shut up when Alice gave me a _let it go _look. I looked over at Nessie.

She was blushing again, this time looking down purposefully, avoiding my curious gaze.

_What were they going shopping for exactly?_

"Um, ok," I said hesitantly, "see you guys later, I guess."

Nessie scrambled out the door. I looked over at Alice. "What was that all about?"

Alice frowned, "I think you'll notice tomorrow morning." I looked at her confused, she continued, "Oh and Jacob," walkind towards the door, "I'm going to give you a little warning, it's going to be very obvious, so try to memorize the russian alphabet or something so your mind doesn't get you in trouble when Edward's around."

"What---"

"Just trust me," she said, "learn it and recite it, it's what we all do when we don't want Edward listening."

"But why would I--"

"Jacob." And with a stern look she followed Nessie out the door, leaving me more confused than ever.

Esme was suddenly at my side, "Come with me, Jacob, you must be hungry."

Now what was going on that I didn't know about?

***

Ok, so this one's a bit shorter but I'll make up for it in the next chapter, I promise. Coming up next, Nessie gets to wear a bra! Jacob almost swallows a fork, and Oliver finds he might need to memorize an alphabet of his own…Review! Thanks!


	9. Give Me an A!

Alright, from here on it's going to start getting interest, I'm still debating whether or not I'm going to change the rating…well, not yet, but later on, depending on what I decide to put it, or rather 'not' put in, I just might have to. Anyway, here's chapter nine, hope you like, oh and please review! The stats aren't matching up whatsoever! Thanks.

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot to this story.

**************************Nessie****************************************

I couldn't take my eyes off of my reflection. I'd known that as time passed, I grew faster and faster, but this was ridiculous. From one month to the next, and bam! I went from a training bra to an A cup. Don't get me wrong, I liked what I saw in the mirror, but…well to be honest I was kind of embarrassed. Telling mommy was bad enough, then Alice…and of course she wouldn't let me get just any regular bra, not Alice. She bought me about twenty of the most expensive bras at Victoria Secret, all of which, despite their assurance of comfort, still aided in the 'lifting' process.

"At the rate you're growing, you'll be in the B cups within the next three months, I don't think we should get more than twenty, what do you think?" she'd asked me. I had just nodded my head in embarrassment; surely a girl didn't need that many bras?

I looked at myself sideways…maybe nobody would notice? But I knew I was lying to myself, I could easily pass for thirteen, maybe fourteen, though according to Carlisle I was about eleven now. I changed shirts, thinking maybe a tighter one might squish my ridiculous larger-than-most-girls-my-age breasts flatter to my chest, but that only made it worse, they seemed more enunciated. I frowned at my appearance; people were going to notice, my family for one, Jake, and kids at school…the thought made me want to hurl. What kind of eleven year old girl had boobs?

I should be glad, I knew most girls longed for the beauty and perfect body that came with being a vampire, or half vampire in my case, but I had learned that this perfection was also a source of isolation. Rosalie often told me how many girls despised her simply because she was so beautiful; I didn't understand how that could be possible, but I figured I was going to start realizing how it felt pretty soon.

I decided to just wear a t- shirt, but even then the two bumps betrayed me. I thought about what Alice had said, a B cup in three months…I would have to go straight into high school if I was growing as fast as that. I felt a pang of sadness; Tom and Oliver would stay in seventh grade and I would be left alone.

_Oh no, Tom and Oliver! _

I groaned, surely they weren't into girls yet? Would they treat me any different just because I was starting to look more grown up?

I hoped not. Someone knocked at my door.

"Nessie, are you alright?" my daddy asked. I froze, _uh oh, had he been listening to my thoughts?_ I rushed over to the door and groaned internally; he seemed uncomfortable, looking directly at my face and nowhere else.

"Come down for breakfast, otherwise you'll be late," he said quietly. I dropped my head and followed him downstairs.

_Time to face utter mortification…_

******************************Jacob*************************************

I was anxious. Alice had said I was going to find out something this morning, but what? And was that the reason Nessie was taking so long to get ready for school? Maybe she was giving herself, like, one of those beauty facials or something? My face turned to stone at the thought_, who was she trying to impress_?

Edward looked at me and nodded his head, but he looked just as anxious as I did. He suddenly got up and went upstairs. What was the big deal? And why didn't anyone tell me anything around here?

"Just remember, Jacob, Russian alphabet," Alice spoke to me, so softly only I heard her. _Yeah right, like I had learned that over night…_I wondered what could be the cause of Nessie's delay.

Nessie's face suddenly poked out into the dining room, she looked really nervous.

"I don't think I want to eat breakfast today," she said. _Was she blushing?_

"Don't be ridiculous, Nessie," chided Esme, "I made waffles."

Nobody could say no to Esme, she was too much of a sweetheart, so Nessie dragged herself into the room, hunching over slightly, but that didn't stop me from noticing.

My eyes bulged. _What the hell?! How did they get bigger from one month to the---um, ok, let's see, uh, distraction, I need a distraction…_But nothing came.

"Hi, Jake," she said in a tiny voice. She was embarrassed, and the need to comfort her almost overwhelmed my scattered brain, but then when she sat down in front of me, _they_ were staring right at me.

I racked my mind, come on, I had to remember something…_The preamble! I knew that!_

"Hi, Ness," I said, forcing my head down to study my already empty plate. _We, the people_—

She shifted in her chair, pulling the back of her shirt down from the back, the front stretched down with it.

_In order to form a more perfect union---_

Rosalie walked in, "Oh my goodness, Nessie!" she exclaimed, "Your first bra!"

_Establish justice and ensure domestic tranquility---_

Nessie turned beet red, swallowing her waffles whole.

"Rosalie," Alice warned, but of course Barbie ignored her.

"My, my, you're growing up to be quite a woman aren't you?" she gushed.

_Provide for the common defense---_

"Rosalie," Nessie whined, looking horrified, "Jake's in here," she said quietly.

_Yeah_, I wanted to snap, the _imprinted and male driven shape-shifter is still here!_

Rosalie made a face at me, "Don't worry, after all, he's part of the family, right?" she sneered at me.

_Promote the general welfare---_

Edward walked into the room, "Rosalie, that's enough," he said sternly. Rosalie rolled her eyes and stalked out of the room. Edward met my eyes.

_For the United States of America…crap that's it…_

Nessie stole a glance at me.

_We, the people---_

Nessie straightened up, "I'm done, let's get out of here, Jake." She quickly left the room and made her way outside.

_In order to form a more--- wait, I'd done it!_ It was over, but then Edward came over to me.

"Good job, Jacob, I see you listened to Alice," he said, smiling at me, though I could see the anxiety in his eyes.

Rosalie stalked back in, "Oh yes, let's praise the mongrel for not thinking dirty thoughts about our eleven year old Nessie."

Now do you see why I hate the blond monster?

I growled at her, she only smirked at me.

"I think I better take Nessie to school," I said, when Edward stepped in between us.

I made my way to the door, but Alice blocked me.

"Here, it's a book on a hundred different languages," she said, she looked grim, "please, Jacob, it's the only way."

I nodded to her and met Nessie outside. "Let's go," I said, not looking at her. She looked at me, confused with my serious tone. I made myself look up at her once.

"Barbie's just getting on my nerves, the usual," I told her, smiling tightly. "Come on, I'll race you." And I took off, going faster than usual on purpose, anything to avoid looking at my developing eleven year old imprint.

***

Ok, so review, review, review! Let me know what you all think, I won't update till I get some more reviews lol, so please review, thanks.


	10. Wait, She's a Girl?

Ok, first and foremost, thank you so much to those who have reviewed (pixielou, and sassy1515), it means a lot; really, you have no idea how encouraging it is to read them. Again, however, I would like to hear from more of you, please? Lol, well, here's chapter ten. Enjoy!

Again, I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot of this story.

**************************Oliver****************************************

Tom and I were running late to class, we'd decided to wait the extra ten minutes it took for the fudge to be out of the oven. It was good fudge, and definitely worth being late to class for. We were running, Tom slightly ahead of me; he had always been faster than me. A blur of bronze and black hair caught my eye from a distance_. Ha, looks like Renesmee's running late also_. Jacob was a good ways ahead of her, _hmmm, that's strange_…

Behind him, Renesmee struggled to keep up, her clothes and hair flying back; she had on a huge t-shirt and there was something different about her…I had never seen her wear anything so…casual. She usually had on something stylish—thanks to her aunt Alice, she'd told us.

_Huh…weird._

We ended up in front of the building at the same time, Jacob was already there, waiting for Renesmee. Renesmee looked a bit out of breath, her face flushed and I couldn't help thinking how unfair it was of Jacob to leave her behind like that.

"Hey Renesmee," I waved, as we met in front of the building. She looked up at me with a weird expression on her face. She looked nervous for some reason, maybe she'd gotten into a fight with Alice or something? It would explain the t-shirt.

"Hi," she replied, though I noticed she avoided meeting my eyes. I looked over at Jacob, and was surprised to see him glaring at me. _What the—_

"Hey, so looks like you're leaving Renesmee in the dust, huh," said Tom, slapping Jacob on the back. Jacob didn't seem to hear him, he was still staring at me like I'd stolen his favorite chocolate cake or something. Tom noticed too.

"We better get going," he said, "the bell's about to ring." He motioned me and Renesmee over. Renesmee trudged after him slowly, eying me warily as she passed by. Jacob was barely aware of anything, he simply continued glaring at me.

"I'll catch up with you guys," I said, refusing to look away from Jacob's impending glare. Renesmee waved bye to him; he nodded at her but never took his eyes off me. After they'd gone inside, I spoke up.

"What's your problem?" I said, anger hinting at my words. _Seriously, what did I do to him that he couldn't stop looking at me like that? _

Jacob simply stared at me, crossed his arms, and then said in a dangerously soft voice, "Don't tell me you didn't notice something different about Ness?"

I looked at him confused. "Uh…"

"Well?!" he almost shouted, taking a step forward.

I gulped; even though I was abnormally strong for a teenager, I was no match for Jacob Black. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, if you mean her lack of posh, well, don't worry, we won't make fun of her or anything," I said stupidly.

Jacob looked confused for a second, but quickly regained his composure. "Don't act stupid," he growled, "I'm just letting you know, if you so much as look at her the wrong way, I will hunt you down."

_Whoa, whoa, whoa! Is that what this was about? Now where in the heck did he get that idea? _

"Dude," I said, "you don't have to worry about _that_; Tom and I, we don't see Renesmee like that, besides, we know she's your imprint, we would never do that to you," I said; when he said nothing, I added, "Seriously, we'd rather argue over the last pizza slice than over a girl."

_A pizza slice? Jacob's about to kick my butt for nothing and I come up with a food analogy?_

Jacob looked at me for a moment. "So," he said, "no matter how beautiful or grown up she gets, you won't even consider it?"

_Beautiful or grown up?_ I almost laughed at him. "Well no, of course not, but I wouldn't worry about that, she's barely ten," I said, exasperation coloring my voice, though I quickly added, "Not that she isn't pretty, she is, but we don't even see her like that, I swear."

He considered that for a moment.

"Well, just so we're clear then," he said, then smiled, "you'd rather have a pizza slice than a pretty girl?"

I grinned back, I was in the clear. "Well, you know what I mean, Tom and I, we're not really into the dating scene yet."

This seemed to calm him down, he nodded. "Alright then." And just like that, he was gone.

I stared where he had been standing.

_Now what was that all about?_

I shrugged as I headed to class.

_Me? Like a girl? Yeah right…_

I entered the class just in time, sneaking a mischievous grin to my brother and Renesmee. Tom gave me a thumbs up; Renesmee smiled. I studied her for a moment.

She was wearing an oversized t-shirt, jeans, some white tennis, and her hair sprawled messily down her back. Not her best day, to be honest, and yet…

I guess I could see why Jacob might think one of us had a thing for her, I mean, she was a girl after all, and most boys our age were already into girls, despite out outer pretense of being solely into video games and such. I watched as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear…and then I really saw it: she was not only a girl, but a _very pretty_ girl. Her almost white skin was clear, void of any human flaw, and her hair, though 'messy' still lay in natural ringlets down her back. Her eyes, a deep warm brown, held intelligence beyond her years, and her body…Well, come to think of it, I had never really paid much attention, but for being a little ten year old, Renesmee had quite the figure on her…

Not that I _cared_, of course.

Her face suddenly changed from its usual ivory to a soft red; she was blushing. _Why was she_—then I noticed I was still staring at her like she was some kind of science experiment.

_Crap_.

I quickly looked away.

Mr. Stolls was already lecturing when I looked up towards the front. I would have to make sure never to think about the beauty of Renesmee Cullen around my brothers…

**************************Nessie****************************************

Being at school was better than being at home. At school, Tom and Oliver treated me just like before, like one of the guys. At home I had several over reactive vampires to face.

Alice and Rosalie were overjoyed with my growth. They marinated me in compliments and new clothes. My mommy, though never lacking in compliments, was on constant alert of my development. I knew she hated the idea of losing her little girl, though I'm not sure what exactly she meant, I wasn't planning on going anywhere, after all.

Carlisle, Esme, Emmet, and Jasper were indifferent, thank goodness.

Daddy…well let's just say I could tell when he'd heard my self conscious thoughts; despite the novel actor that he usually was in public, he couldn't fool me. He struggled to hide his awkwardness, but I guess that's expected when you're a guy listening to your rapidly growing daughter's thoughts on whether to wear the pink bra or the blue one.

Then there was Jake…He befuddled me the most. Out of everyone, you would think that the one person to help you get through a tough time would be your best friend…I hardly saw Jacob anymore, and when I did, well, things weren't quite the same. I felt like I was missing a huge part of me, and as many times as I'd thought to bring it up, Jake simply told me that everything was fine, and that he was just having some trouble at home. I'd brought it up to mommy, but she was even less help.

On the bright side, it's already been a month since my bra size upgrade, and I haven't grown any bigger. I would like to say that this is a good thing, but the whole Jacob situation has gotten me more down than I would have ever expected.

Thank goodness for Tom and Oliver, if it weren't for them, I probably would've been completely miserable. We had started hanging out more, and I have to admit that I always had a blast with them, especially Oliver; he was the more caring of the two.

Tomorrow the three of us would be taking a hike to some secret cave they had found when they were young. I thought about what I should wear; luckily for me both boys seemed impartial to my sudden boob appearance, as far as they were concerned, I was still one of them.

I turned over in my bed, sighing as I thought of another person I would have liked to go hiking with…I missed Jacob. What hurt the most was the possibility that Jake didn't need me anymore, maybe didn't even want me as his best friend anymore…I could live with having friends like the twins, but they were only second best, Jake would always be my number one…

* * *

Alright, let me know what you all think, this was more of a leading chapter, it's a bit obvious as to what could happen, but you don't know what will happen so you're going to have to review to find out, hahaha! Also, just so you know, we're getting close to Christmas time in the story, and Nessie's still around eleven years old. Just to give you a heads up though, by Christmas she'll be close to twelve, hmm, what will happen that might give her a splurge in growth? Oh, and the Volturri will began to appear sooner than you think. Review to find out! Thanks!


	11. Dazzled

Again, thank you to those who are reviewing my story thus far, I greatly appreciate it! Constructive criticism is accepted also, in case you want to help me improve. Well, here's the next chapter, I hope you like it, enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing work, just the plot to my story.

************************Myster guy***********************************

I at down again. I had tried walking back and forth, having seen mortals do it all the time in times of great anxiety, but alas, it was no help. There had to be a way, there just had to!

"My lord," a small voice approached me, "we believe we have a new lead." The small girl came closer to me, and I eagerly leaned in.

"Tell us, my dear, what have you found."

"We believe the shape-shifter may be the key," she said, a smile playing evilly on her lips, "he seems to have quite a unique bond with the girl, and we know the feeling to be mutual, at least it should be so within a short time."

Ahh, I could already see what they had in mind. Interesting.

"If we can get to him we can welcome her, and if we get her, they will undoubtedly come to us," she finished.

"And we can negotiate from there," another voice chimed in. I frowned though.

"We still have no motive, we need a motive," I hissed at them. They looked at each other and then turned to smile at me.

"Leave that to us."

**************************Nessie****************************************

Tom was leading the way, and I was eager to get wherever it was we were going. I had invited Jake of course, but he'd politely declined. Despite his need to keep me in the dark, however, his eyes, whenever I could see them that is, told me otherwise. I could see a hidden secret in them, and I don't know why, but I had a feeling it had something to do with me…something protective; it would explain why he regarded my twin friends with such suspicion, as if they were going to sweep me away and never bring me back. It was baffling, and I yearned to find out what was causing my former best friend so much agony, but of course, no one said a thing.

What upset me as well, was the fact that my mom and daddy—I figure even if I'm getting older a girl can still get away with saying 'daddy'—knew what was bothering him, and of course, they denied it.

Everything else in my not so normal life seemed to be ok. I was already used to the Victoria Secret bras, and had even chanced wearing more pronounced blouses; to be honest, I was starting to like the way I looked.

"Hurry up Renesmee!" Oliver called back to me. I grinned and put out a burst of speed, passed Oliver and closed in on Tom.

"Hey!" shouted Oliver from behind, "Don't get too ahead, you're going to get tired!"

I ignored him. He was right, of course, since I was half-human I was capable of getting tired, but for the moment I needed to show off my daddy's inherited speed. Soon I was ahead of Tom.

"Hey," called out Tom from somewhere behind, "you don't know where we're going!"

_Drat, he was right_. I slowed down to his pace, and turned to grin at him. He laughed and took the lead again.

_Oh so that's how he was going to play?_ I sped up.

"Hey wait up you guys!" called out Oliver from behind. Of course we both ignored him.

The wind kissed my face and body, spurring my desire to go faster, even the forest seemed to start melting into a blur. My hair whipped out behind me, slapping Tom in the face—"Hey," he'd laughed—my legs were stronger too, I could feel them propelling me ahead, and again I was in the lead. It was exhilarating, like being on the bike again…

I slowed down, Tom passed me easily, and soon I was running with Oliver again.

Memories of Jake and I hanging out started flooding my mind…playing video games together, food competitions (he'd always won those), hunting in the woods, the beach, him showing me his bike…As much fun as I was having with my friends, I knew I had to do something, I missed my Jake too much, I had to find out what was bothering him, I just had to!

I realized I was holding back tears, and I quickly forced them away.

"You ok, Renesmee?" Oliver asked me, noticing my sudden change in mood. I didn't want my friends to worry about me, so I overdid it by giving him a dazzling smile in response. For a second I thought he looked confused, staring at me with a kind of blank expression on his face…but then he tripped and fell.

I stopped, looking at him stupidly before coming to my senses to help him up.

_Oops_. Maybe I should've toned down the smile. Daddy always told me to be careful not to dazzle people; he said humans could turn into vegetables that way. Oliver looked embarrassed as he got up, and I couldn't help but laugh at him; Tom hadn't even noticed that we fell behind.

"S-sorry," he mumbled, "come on, we got to catch up." I followed him, when a thought suddenly occurred to me, throwing the Jake dilemma completely out of my head.

_I had dazzled Oliver…and he wasn't even human, well completely human anyway…hmmm…_

****************************Oliver**************************************

Renesmee was fast! I noticed how easily she outran Tom, and my brother was pretty fast. Her hair flew behind her and slapped Tom in the face. I laughed aloud, hearing it echo from my brother also. Suddenly, she slowed down and fell into step with me. I looked at her and wasn't surprised when I saw _that_ expression on her face. Lately, she'd get all sad all of a sudden, like for no reason! I hated to see her that way; as strong a girl as I knew she was, I had to remind myself she still had a sensitive side, that she could hurt just like anyone else. I'd thought about asking what was wrong, but I figured if she wanted to tell us about it, she would, so I kept out of it.

I stared at her as we ran side by side. She had on a black muscle shirt with khaki capris and black tennis shoes. Her bronze-reddish hair had started off in a ponytail, but was now a wild mass floating behind her; I assumed it had fallen loose on the way. I hated to admit it, especially to myself, but she was starting to look ridiculously pretty, which of course verified our suspicions that she really was a girl, not just 'one of the guys', as we often reminded her she was. She was an awesome friend, no doubt, but each day that passed I worried over my own loyalties…Jacob had forbidden her, and it made sense, she was _his_ imprint. Back then I'd thought he was being stupid, I wasn't even into girls yet, and still wouldn't be but…now that the idea had been brought to my attention, that Renesmee could be more than 'one of the guys,' it was hard not to notice her.

I looked at her chocolate eyes, and frowned. Was she about to cry?

"You ok, Renesmee?" I asked her. I expected her to say, "Yeah, I'm fine," or nod her head, or even force a small smile, but instead—

She flashed the most amazing smile at me. I stared at her, dazed beyond comprehension. Somewhere way back in my head, a little voice told me to smile back, but my body didn't seem to understand it, so of course I did the dumbest and most embarrassing thing instead.

I fell.

After she helped me up, I mumbled something almost inaudible even to myself, and then we were off again. She laughed at me, and things suddenly seemed like back to normal, like we were just two half- human, half- freak kids running in the forest.

But I couldn't shake what had just happened off my back. I gulped, I would have to keep my thoughts locked under maximum security from now.

***

I changed a few things in this chapter at the last moment but I hope you liked it. As usual, please review and let me know what you think, I'm barely starting to get more reviews and they rev me to keep updating. Thanks.


	12. The Cave

This might be my last update till next week, I'm going to try to put in one more at least but I can't promise it for sure; sorry guys, finals are getting closer so I have to focus on that, but I'll try my best. Thanks again to those who have reviewed, though I will say I'm getting a bit discouraged given the number of reviews in comparison to the number of people reading my story. Please let me know what you think, I can't help but wonder if you all actually like the story or not without any feedback, so review, review!

Of course I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's masterpiece, solely the plot to this story.

***************************Nessie************************************

Tom finally stopped ahead, and so I slowed down. Oliver was lagging a bit behind, I wondered vaguely whether perhaps he'd hurt himself after falling, but quickly dismissed it; even if he did hurt himself, he would have healed by now. Tom grinned at me, a mischievous grin that said, "Wait till you see it." Oliver stopped next to me, still with somewhat of a dazed look.

"Alright, ladies first," said Tom, motioning towards a huge rock. I stared at him in confusion. _Did he want me to climb it or something?_

Then I saw it. Right at the edge, covered by shrubbery, was a hole, big enough for about four people. I walked towards it and removed the expertly placed camouflage, and grinned widely.

It was a tunnel. I didn't hesitate; I quickly dropped myself in. I slid down for about thirty seconds before I landed on a soft mass of leaves, and then I gasped.

I was inside a cave, a huge cave that led into deeper destinations. The twins had obviously been here quite a few times, I could see their lame attempt of décor in the various items spread throughout; however, I could smell their presence quite clearly, it was _so_ them. It mirrored the simple, yet secret life that they led. As I went into a different room—I had decided to call each 'area' a room—I saw two huge piles of dried up leaves and grass. _Beds_, I concluded, and over in another room, a huge shoe box with…_boxers_?

Then it dawned on me, this is where they came to be wolves, though, I couldn't quite understand why, I mean, sure, the place was huge, and definitely isolated, but so was the forest…I turned around, both boys were staring at me, waiting for my million questions. I only asked one.

"Why?"

Tom came over to me, "You haven't even seen the best part yet," he said, "follow me." He took off without another second's warning, and I followed. Running through the cave was like being in a labyrinth—not that I'd been in one but I assumed it felt like this. A person could get lost down here easily, but not Tom; he made left and right turns without any hesitations. I could hear Oliver coming up behind me as well. We ran for what seemed like five minutes, and at top speed too. It dawned on me how big the cave really was, and yet above ground one would never know of the vast playground hidden beneath. I began to smell salt, and curiosity made me go faster.

Tom and Oliver suddenly stopped, so sudden I almost lost my balance and fell over the ledge that appeared out of nowhere. Oliver grabbed me around the middle to keep me from falling, but I didn't have time to thank him, I was too amazed.

Over the ledge, far down below, was a huge underground bay I had never seen in my life. The high ceiling caverns surrounded it and beyond it, through a small opening—though I don't know how I knew—was the ocean; I understood now why I had never seen it.

The only way to get here was either through some underwater tunnel, or coming from where we had. And the view! I couldn't take my eyes away; the view was amazing, it was like a personal little paradise, there were trees dotted all over the place, as if we were on the shores of First Beach.

But the best part: it was completely deserted, which meant…

"So what do you think?" asked Oliver, he came to stand by me. I looked at him, my mind completely in awe.

"It's beautiful," I sighed. The same kind of daze came over his face for a second, and then he looked away.

"Yeah, Tom and I discovered this place about two years ago, and when we transformed, we figured it'd be the best place to hide out."

For the first time ever, I reached my hand out to show him my thoughts.

_Hide out? From what?_

Oliver looked at me in amazement; he already knew I could do that, of course, but had never experienced it. Tom was the one who spoke though.

"It's not the same for us as the rest of the pack," Tom explained, coming to stand by my other side. "We're a lot younger than all of them, and despite the whole 'we're brothers blah blah,' Oliver and I tend to feel isolated."

"Yeah, and not to mention the way they treat us, like just because we're not as big as them, we need special care," continued Oliver, "I bet you didn't know we're not allowed to hunt?"

I frowned, "But why not? I mean, that's part of being a wolf isn't it?"

"Well, that's what we say, but apparently we have some 'growing up' to do before we can hang with the rest of them," he continued, his voice taking a bitter edge, "they think they know what's best for us."

"So," I said uncertainly, "you guys come here to stay away from the pack? And I'm guessing to hunt too?"

"Yes," replied Oliver, now grinning at his brother, "and there's some pretty good food around here, let me tell you--"

"Wait, there's only the bay down there, what do you guys eat, fish?" I interrupted, making a face.

They looked at me like I was dense.

"Renesmee," said Tom, addressing me like I was three years old—which technically I was closer to if you counted by calendar years—"the cave extends pretty wide, where do you think bears hide out?"

"Oh," was all I said, then I grinned, "hey, we should let Emmet come here, he loves be--"

"NO!" both boys yelled at me. I was taken aback.

"Look, sorry, but we can't tell anyone about this place," said Tom, his face flustered from having yelled at me, "Jacob and Sam don't even let us be lookouts like the rest of them. I mean, how _dangerous_ could being a lookout be? Can't you see why we love it here? Why we need to keep it a secret?"

I thought for a moment.

"This is your home away from home, isn't it?" I asked. This time Oliver spoke.

"Exactly, here, we don't have to worry about all the non-normalness that we are," he said, "we're free to do what we want."

Something suddenly occurred to me. "Hang on a minute, what about when you're wolves? You guys can read each other's thoughts, so wouldn't Jake and the others know you guys were up to something?"

This time they both grinned and said simultaneously, "Not down here."

I couldn't believe it, Jake had told me multiple times how annoying it was to have to listen to each of his pack member's thoughts all the time. He said that no matter how far apart they were, they could still hear each other.

"But that's not pos--"

"Possible? That's what we thought too, but it's true, we can't explain why exactly, we just know that's the way it is down here," said Tom, still grinning at me widely.

I nodded, now I understood exactly why they came down here.

They were part of the supernatural world like me, and yet their family didn't want them in on all the fun, just like my family didn't want me in on all the secrets. I thought of Jake, and my family, how lately they seemed to be keeping me in the dark because they thought it was 'for my own good.' I thought of the twins, how their pack didn't let them hunt, didn't let them be involved in all the wolf things…we were the same, freaks of nature kept under the blankets, all because it was 'for our own good.' I understood completely.

"Ok," I said, "but that means I have unlimited access down here too."

The twins grinned; Oliver suddenly came over to me and lifted me up in the air, twirling me around…like Jake used to.

"That's awesome Renesmee," he said, smiling at me widely, "we're going to have awesome times down here, especially now that you're in on the secret."

I didn't respond, just flashed another dazzling smile his way.

He didn't fall this time, but I could've sworn he was blushing.

***********************Jacob******************************************

I was miserable. After about the third day of taking Nessie to school in her 'bra' days, I began to slip. Edward had warned me the first time, but after the third time, I just couldn't resist. The fantasies, the urges, they came without my being able to stop them. I tried memorizing from the book Alice had given me, but it wasn't big enough of a distraction.

Each day Nessie became more confident with herself, wearing less bulk and more complimenting outfits as a result…and so each day I withdrew more. She noticed my absence, and the pain I saw on her face when she looked at me made me want to burn myself alive. I longed for the simpler days, when I was her big brother, her best friend, but my stupid male stigma forced me to stay away from her. I missed her, and I feared if I stayed away any longer, I might actually lose her, whether she was my imprint or not.

But what could else could I do?

I thought jealously of my two youngest brothers; they could be with her whenever they wanted. I wanted to think that I was jealous only because of that fact, the fact that they could enjoy her company while I could not, but I knew there was more to it than that.

I had only recently realized something: if Nessie's body was developing quickly, her mind should be growing along with it, and if that was the case, then her thoughts should've began aligning with mine, maybe not as intimate but towards that general direction. Carlisle claimed Nessie was still about eleven, but I was doubtful.

She hadn't changed much lately, but I could see it in her eyes; her intelligence, her maturity, was growing…it was only a matter of time before she experienced another growth spurt. However, regardless of it all, she showed no signs of wanting a romantic relationship with me, and that thought depressed me almost to the point of insanity.

Logically speaking, she should be interested in boys already, and the only boys she hung out with were Tom and Oliver, in fact they were the only friends she hung out with. They claimed nothing was going on, and if it wasn't for the few times I'd heard them during wolf form, I wouldn't have believed them. I'd considered making them take the lookout post—something I knew they'd wanted to do ever since they found out what they were—and in that way listen more carefully to what they were thinking, but I knew Sam would be completely against it. I was head Alpha, so I _could_ order it and Sam would have no say, but I didn't want any tension in my pack. A part of me also knew that letting the twins in on the lookout would be wrong; they were too young, and it would be selfish of me to get their hopes up like that.

So I could only hope, hope that Nessie wasn't interested in anyone, that she still wasn't ready for _that_ kind of relationship. Until then, I could only bide my time, and control my urgent desires from surfacing. If I could learn to control myself, to fall into being Nessie's friend again, I could be with her like before, and things could fall into place, like they should be.

That thought alone kept me sane.

***

Ok, same rules apply, let me know what you think, thanks!


	13. Mating Season

Here's chapter thirteen, I'm trying to get in as many chapters as I can before I turn onto study mode. Don't worry, I love writing so I don't know if I'll be able to stay away from updating too long, but here's a hint: if I get more reviews, I just might feel obligated to update sooner than next week. Well anyway, thank you to those who have reviewed, especially pixielou and sassy1515, who've reviewed on more than one occasion, gracias!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, of course, it is solely the plot that is mine in this story.

*************************Nessie*************************************

I got home late in the afternoon, still thinking about the big secret I was now a part of. I saw Jake sitting on the porch, looking miserable. I made my way over, and sure enough he made to leave.

I grabbed his wrist before he could make his escape.

_Please, Jake._

He looked at me, and for a moment I thought he was going to do what he'd been doing more often these days, nod at me and leave, but instead, he let out a throaty laugh.

"Ness," his laugh grew stronger, "what on earth happened to you?"

My whole face lit up. "We went hiking, remember?"

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "And that explains why you're covered in dry mud, grass stains, and…is that blood on your shirt?" He suddenly looked concerned.

"One of the guys fell while we were running downhill and knocked me over," I explained, "he got cut pretty badly and I guess his blood ended up on me."

"Oh," a flicker of the 'sad Jake' came over his face, no doubt he was upset with the fact that the guys had knocked poor, fragile me over. There was a momentary awkward silence; then he got up.

"I guess I'll get on home, Ness," he said, trying to not look sad, but I knew better; my hand stayed locked onto his wrist.

_No._

He sighed, "Ness, I got to get home to my dad."

_Jake…why don't you want to be my friend anymore?_ I flashed him the memories I had been thinking about earlier. Jake looked at me with sad eyes, and to my surprise, sat back down.

"Nessie," he said resignedly, "you know how you're not supposed to tell anyone you're a vampire?"

_Yeah, the same way you're not supposed to tell anyone you're a werewolf._

"Shape-shifter," he corrected, I rolled my eyes, but held on.

"Well," he hesitated, "let's just say I'm kind of in the same situation."

_So…you're not allowed to be my friend anymore?_

He looked horrified. "No, Ness, nah, come here kiddo," he pulled me into his chest, like he'd done so many times before. I don't know why but I started to cry.

I felt whole again, just having his big, strong arms around me, having my Jake back, even if only for a moment. Jake rocked me back and forth, "Hey, now, don't cry," he cooed, "you're still my best friend, my number one, you know that."

_Then how come you're avoiding me…sorry, I know I'm supposed to be more grown up than this…is that why you can't tell me? Because I'm too young?_

He laughed bitterly, but I couldn't understand what had made him react like that. "Don't be sorry," Jake rubbed my back, then said quietly, "it's not because you're too young, it's because you're growing so fast…" he paused, as if realizing something himself, "I just don't want to scare you away I guess."

I looked at him confused. _Scare me away? You could never scare me, Jake, not even as a wolf… What do you mean?_

Jake tensed. His brow furrowed; he was thinking hard.

"Lately," he began, "I haven't been myself, well, not the Jake you're used to anyway."

_Huh_?

He struggled, searching for the right words. "You know how your mom and dad are constantly, you know, _with_ each other?"

I frowned. _Do you have to remind me of that? They're my parents, ew…_

I could tell he wanted to laugh, but he regained composure. "Well, in case you haven't noticed, I am a boy, a man actually," he continued, "and…" he stammered.

_Why are you blushing?_

That only made it worse of course.

"See, the thing is, Ness, you're very special to me, but your family feels that it'd be best if--"

And then it dawned on me, something so ridiculously petty that I almost didn't want to believe it…but it made perfect sense.

_Oh I know!_ I suddenly interrupted. And I did know, and now that I'd realized it, I couldn't believe I hadn't seen it sooner.

He blinked once, and only stared at me with his mouth open. "Y—you do?" he managed to say.

_Well, I have a theory anyway…but it's kind of personal…_

Jake looked nervous. "Tell me."

I looked at him, unsure if I should tell him what I had just realized. He nodded his head urgently.

_Ok, but don't freak out ok? _

"Ok."

_Well, I remembered something similar to your condition in this book…it was about dogs, how during a certain time they'd get like a bunch of mood swings, and sometimes even get violent over nothing and—_

"Spit it out, Ness."

_Are you like, you know, in heat?_

"In heat?" he looked confused, "What does that---WHOA!" he jumped about ten feet away from me.

"You mean like a dog?" he squeaked. Yes, I said _squeaked_.

I blushed. "Well, it makes sense, I mean, you're talking about being a 'man' and whatever, plus you are part wolf, and canines have a, you know, _time_ when all they want to do is…" I faltered; I just couldn't say it, it was too embarrassing.

Jake had the weirdest expression on his face.

"Oh," he said, then, "oh…hmmm, you know, that is an…interesting theory…huh…it would make sense…"

"So…" I asked, unsure of whether to continue the conversation or not. This was definitely not what I'd imagined we'd be talking about.

And then Jake did the weirdest thing: he burst out laughing, and came over to me and lifted me off the ground.

"You're absolutely right, you clever little vampire, you!" he said, twirling me in the air. I gawked at him; one minute we're both embarrassed because I think my best friend's got the urge to…well, you know, and the next he's telling the whole world about it.

He squeezed me close to his chest before plopping a huge wet kiss on my forehead. The mud was no longer dry.

"Jake," I complained, "stop it." But I was laughing too.

We both sat down on the porch again.

I still looked at him uncertainly, "So, this whole time, you just didn't want to be a bad influence on me?"

He looked at me, a grin still on his face, "Yeah, you could imagine how difficult it was to keep something like that, I just didn't want you thinking, you know, that I was some disgusting dog."

I smiled back at him. "But I already know you're a disgusting dog. Seriously though? Do you all think I'm _that_ immature? Jake, you're my best friend," I hugged him, "and who knows, soon I'll be telling you all about my first kiss and stuff."

I felt his shoulders stiffen, then slowly relax. He laughed, though it wasn't the same carefree laugh he'd had a second ago.

"Yeah, imagine that, both of us," he said, "experiencing hormones."

I made a face, though I couldn't help grinning; everything was going to be ok after all.

"Ugh, don't say that word, I've been hearing it enough from Rosalie and Alice," I said. Jake agreed.

"But you know what?" I said, "I'm glad I know, now we can hang out like we used to, and if you're feeling exceptionally," I laughed, amazed at myself for finding the courage to even say the word, "you know, _frisky_, just let me know and I'll get out your hair."

"Yeah," he laughed with me, though he sounded anxious.

I nodded my head. "Gosh, to think all this misery just because mom and daddy thought you'd be a bad influence on me," I laughed, "It's not like you'd ever try to do anything like _that_ with me. Plus, lately, that's all I've been hearing from mom, and especially Rosalie, how I'm going to feel like this, and like that…it's horrible talking about it with them."

Jake looked away, "Yeah," he said, his voice had lost its sudden high, "what a crazy thought, huh?"

I let out a low chuckle, "Now if I was having this conversation with Tom or Oliver, now _that_ would be different."

Jake froze. "How so?"

I gaped at him. "Because, you're practically family, Jake, and my best friend, you can tell me anything," I paused, "but the twins, I don't know, I don't think I'd feel comfortable talking about this."

And as Jake took me in for another hug, I realized that talking to Jake about _that_ kind of stuff _was_ actually quite comforting, in fact, I felt more at ease with him than I did with anyone...I smiled, and squeezed Jake even tighter.

_I'm glad to have you back, Jake._

Jake's body draped over me perfectly. "Me too, Ness," he said, and for a second I thought I heard the sadness in his voice again...

***

Alright, I don't know, I'm still uncertain about this chapter, but I'm going to go ahead and leave it up, if you all don't like it, let me know, and I'll change it in a jiffy lol. Until then though, review! Let me know what you think, this is what I kind of have planned: now that Nessie's in the clear, she's happy again, and you know what that means…hehehe, but who is she going to start to notice? You heard her conversation with Jacob, so does that mean he's out of the picture for now? Or will a new cup mean a change of heart? Review, review, and review some more, and I'll update as soon as I can. Thanks!


	14. The Truth

Ok, so I haven't received many reviews lately, I'm starting to wonder whether I made a wrong turn in the recent chapters…let me know, please, if not I'm going to think my story's starting to rot and I don't want to waste time updating if you all don't like it…which means you need to review of course, even it's constructive criticism; help me keep the story good. Well, here's chapter fourteen.

Again, all the good stuff belongs to Stephanie Meyer, I solely own the plot to this story…and some new characters now that I think of it.

****************************Jacob***********************************

As soon as Nessie got up to go inside, another vampire came out to meet me.

I tensed for a second, unsure of whether he was going to be accepting of Nessie's recent conversation.

Edward looked at me thoughtfully, then came over to stand in front of me.

"Let's go for a hunt, shall we?" he said. I nodded, and barely had time to phase after he took off. Damn, I hated to admit it, but that bloodsucker was _really_ fast.

I followed him, never once getting close to passing him, but it didn't bother me too much; I was busy thinking over what had just happened.

Nessie had figured out one of the main problems with me; she knew I had 'urges.' The fact that she even figured that out…well, it said a lot. She was a smart little vampire, and perhaps even her 'theory' held some truth to it, but that was beside the point.

I had disgusting male urges; that was the bottom line to that problem.

And the weirdest thing ever: Nessie was ok with it.

_Hadn't she blushed by the mere act of having to wear a bra in public_? And now here we were, talking about how my male instincts demanded sex and how my whole world seemed to fall apart since I couldn't have any.

Of course, the one point she didn't realize was that she was the only girl I would ever want. I recalled her ending words… _It's not like you'd ever try to do anything like that with me_…

That was where she was entirely wrong. I shuddered to think what she would do if she knew…and yet, a part of me hoped that, when the time came, she would run straight into my arms instead of away.

There was something else that happened after her revelation…

I found the strength to control myself.

I can't explain how, or why, but for some reason, knowing that she knew, well at least a part of the problem, it made me realize what everyone had been trying to get into my thick head.

Nessie wasn't ready to be with me.

"Very good, Jacob," Edward said, turning to face me with a smile. I hadn't even realized we'd stopped.

I sat down, still in wolf form, and looked at him expectantly.

"Nessie is starting to mature, mentally as well as physically, which I'm sure you've noticed," he frowned for the slightest moment, no doubt not wanting to discuss the nature of his daughter's body, "and I presume that is why she was able to handle the issue of your," he almost laughed, "_mating season_ stigma."

I cocked my head, _what did that mean?_

"It means her mind is growing, she understands that you have tendencies out of your control. You've noticed how much more comfortable she seems with her new body changes, but have you even thought about why?" he asked me.

I stared at him blankly.

"As her mind grows, she's been getting more mature about things, in particular topics that would make most young girls cringe by even mentioning," he explained.

_But_, I thought, _just a month ago she was just like that, completely embarrassed…_

Edward nodded, "Yes, she was, and so for her to go from being like that to being completely indifferent about it now, well, can't you see what's happening?"

I thought for a moment, and then it came to me.

_She's growing faster, isn't she?_

Edward nodded, and then the oddest expression came over his face, one I hadn't seen in a long time: _guilt_

"Jacob, there's something I haven't been honest with you about," he started, "and considering today's events, I think it's time you know."

I listened.

"Nessie has been growing quite fast over the past two years, much faster than she grew even in the first two months of her life," he said carefully, "Carlisle and I tried to figure out if there was some kind of pattern in her growth rate, but for a long time we couldn't see what it was."

Something in my head started ticking…He was right, her growth rate had fluctuated quite suddenly somewhere during these past two years.

"Not too long ago," Edward continued, "we finally found something to base her growth on;" he paused, as if this was something he didn't want to tell me, "it was her happiness."

_Her happiness_? I didn't know what to make of that, _what was it supposed to mean_?

"It means," answered Edward, this time with a dark look in his eyes, "that the happier Nessie is, the faster she grows."

I stared at him stupidly for a moment, and then my mind went into hyper speed; everything made sense now.

As a baby, she'd had to deal with the threat of the Volturri, and so her growing, though still fast, was not exactly at its finest. Afterwards, with nothing to worry her and a house full of vampires and one imprinted wolf waiting to please her ever wish, she was ecstatic.

Recently, before I'd started avoiding her, I'd noticed that having friends outside of her comfort zone made her even more happy…that would explain the sudden bra necessity. And of course, she not only grew physically, but mentally as well, which would explain her thorough reasoning regarding my situation.

"You're right," Edward brought me out of my reverie, " she is very smart, and the fact that she took the time to put one and one together to come up with her own theory about you, it shows that she cares very much for you, Jacob."

My ears perked up, I hadn't thought about that…

"However," he continued, "just because she understands and is accepting of intimate issues, doesn't mean she's ready to just jump into them herself, as you recently realized."

My ears dropped, and I recalled her words of rejection. _I know that…_

"Nonetheless," Edward continued, "now that you know the truth about her growth, things could go either way. You could tell how unhappy it made her to be away from you, and since that's no longer the case, her growing could skyrocket. She's already near full growth, so there's no telling exactly when she's going to peak, but you need to understand, Jacob," he said sternly, " She may not choose to be with you right away. The only explanation I have to why she isn't behaving like most imprints is that she isn't your typical imprint to begin with; she's half vampire," he smiled lightly, "and we tend to get easily distracted when we're unsure of things."

I could feel a knot in my stomach, everything he said made sense, but…I whined, _but you still think she'll choose me in the end, right?_

Edward looked at me, almost sympathetically, and said, "I'm not completely sure, but I think if you just find it in you to be patient, everything will turn out fine."

_Patience_…I growled in annoyance; Edward laughed.

"After today, I think you've figured out how to control your, as Nessie would put it, 'animal instincts.' It is my theory that you just needed to hear it from her," he said.

_Hear what from her?_

"That she sees you and needs you as her best friend and nothing else," he finished.

I let that sink in, and concluded that maybe he was right, that all I needed to keep those thoughts chained down was the opinion of the only person that mattered: Nessie.

But still, if she was going to be growing more, and soon at that, would I be able to control my thoughts then?

"I don't know about that," Edward said darkly, "but you're going to have to remind yourself what Nessie wants, and as she becomes more," he made a face, "developed, it's going to get harder for you to control your thoughts."

I growled again. _So then we're back to square one!_

Edward smiled then, "No, because now you have Nessie's own thoughts to keep you focused."

I thought about that for awhile, then I nodded. _Yeah, I think you're right…I'll do my best._

Edward patted me on the back, a gesture implying our man to man talk had been a success.

"Alright then, let's go hunt some mountain lion." And he was gone.

I raced after him; this time he let me catch up.

***

Ok, not too much fun, but this chapter was necessary, at least since I've rerouted where my story is going. And you heard it from Edward himself, Nessie is going to start skyrocketing! So what happens now? Review and find out, thanks.


	15. Not Again

First things first, the reviews are starting to FINALLY come in, now that's what I'm talking about, but of course this must be an ongoing process; with your comments, critiques, etc., I can better myself as a writer and in turn this story. Thank you so much to all my reviewers, it makes me want to jump out of a tree and eat a mountain lion, ha! Ok, I'll stop talking; here's another chapter, enjoy!

And once again, I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's brilliance, solely the plot and new additions to this story.

*****************************Nessie************************************

Things were looking great, no, fantastic! Now that Jake could be my friend again, I found myself making up excuses to make up for lost time with him, even several times towards Tom and Oliver, which says a lot; the twins _always_ managed to make me smile, especially Oliver, and I hated minimizing our time together…but I also needed Jake, he was my best friend, part of my family, and family comes first.

I had a feeling the twins knew who I was putting them of for, but they never said a thing. I made it up to them by keeping our little haven a secret, even from Jake, but it didn't bother me that much; Jake and I had lots of history together, it only seemed fair that I leave some things strictly _Tom-Oliver-Renesmee_. Mom told me it was important to have friends outside of what I was used to, but even without that advice I knew Tom and Oliver were already a part of my life, nothing like my best buddy, of course, but definitely necessary.

With so much joy in my life, the only problem I faced now was balancing my friends and family. I'd been spending most of my time with Jake, and so today I had been given permission to skip school to hang out with the twins. They'd gotten permission too as soon as I'd told them about it. It was Friday, two weeks before Christmas, and the three of us had a whole day planned out. I was excited, I mean, I saw them everyday at school, but I really had limited our time together.

I rummaged through my closet, trying to find the perfect outfit. We would start the day off with a movie. There was a vampire flick showing and I wanted to see it—mostly to see how ridiculous the cinema portrayed us. Afterwards we'd probably get something to eat, then head out to this new video game store that Tom wanted to go to, and finally, back to our hideaway. It wasn't exactly the most exciting day, true, but as long as I got to spend some time with them, I didn't care.

I found a maroon, long sleeved with a v cut, blouse. I would have preferred wearing something more summer-ish, but it was December, and most people would find it weird. I matched it with some black jeans and boots; the ensemble was good enough. I left it on the bed while I showered.

Twenty minutes later, I screamed.

*********************Alice*************************************

"Jasper," I called out. He was by my side in a flash.

"Yes, my love," he purred in my ear. If my heart still beat it would have fluttered, I looked up at him and batted my eyes.

"Rosalie's giving Jacob a hard time again, and Bella and Edward are at the cottage, _again_, so they can't stop them...I was right in the middle of a vision," I explained to him, "they're giving me a headache."

He smiled at me, "I'll see what I can manage."

Two seconds later, the arguing stopped. I smiled, almost wickedly. It was convenient having a mood puppeteer for a mate. I focused on my vision once more, but something else appeared instead.

Something falling on the floor…a…_pink bra_?

And then I knew, without really _seeing_, what was going to happen in less than a sec—

"ALICE!!!!!"

_Oh dear_, I thought, as I rushed up to my niece's room.

**************************Nessie**************************************

I couldn't believe it, there was just no—_no way_!

Alice rushed into my room and closed the door behind her. "Nessie," she said, "relax, breathe."

I simply nodded my head back and forth at her; I was still in the towel I'd wrapped around myself, I pointed at what was obviously some kind of cruel joke.

Alice followed my finger to the pile of thirty Victoria Secret bras on the floor. She didn't look surprised, though, simply pained.

"Tell me that this is a joke," I choked out, "It was Emmet, right? He switched out all my bras and replaced them with…whatever size is under A," but even as I said, I knew I was kidding myself. Emmet might be a joker, but he would never go through my underwear drawer.

"Nessie," Alice asked in her dainty voice, "have your bras been fitting tighter than usual?"

I looked at her, at my tiny, future- seeing, vampire aunt…I couldn't lie to her. I nodded my head a fraction. Alice sighed and came over to sit beside me.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she said.

"I," I stammered, "I didn't think it was a big deal, I mean, they didn't seem any bigger…I've seen Rosalie's boobs half way out of _her _bras, so I figured it was normal," I said, only realizing afterwards how stupid I sounded.

"Sweetie," Alice spoke, "Rosalie is Rosalie, that's her style…these bras didn't fit you like that when we bought them. Seriously, you didn't feel the difference?"

I thought for a moment. I'd been so happy these past several weeks that I really hadn't paid much attention to such details…_and now my bras didn't fit me!_

Alice seemed to understand without me saying anything; then she frowned. "I guess it's more my fault actually, I should've noticed the difference," she paused, now talking more to herself than with me, "Why didn't I notice? ...Well, she has been wearing mostly sweaters lately…" She suddenly looked at me.

"Do you know, more or less, the _time_ that they started fitting tighter?" she asked me.

I tried to think, though it seemed a difficult thing to remember… "About two, maybe three weeks ago?"

Alice seemed to remember something, and nodded her head in understanding, as if the timing explained the sudden expanding of my abnormal chest. I was about to ask her what she knew when she got up and left the room, leaving me confused.

I felt self conscious again. This wasn't supposed to be happening, especially not today, if Alice put me in a…a…a—I gulped, forcing the letter out—a B cup, Tom and Oliver were bound to notice…the thought made me flush.

The door opened again and Alice walked in, Esme right behind her.

"Here, try this on," she said. I grabbed the _thing _she gave me and fled to the bathroom. I looked at the bra…it was a B cup alright. I fastened it on, dreading it would fit just like the thirty in the pile, but—

"Oh," I said aloud, then sighed in relief. The bra fit me too big. I walked out to show Alice and Esme. Their faces mirrored my relief. In the back of my head I noticed how odd it was that we all wanted my rapid growing to slow down, I mean, most girls would love to have 'big boobs,' but not me; not now anyway, I mean, I was still eleven! And then another thought occurred to me: _was I still eleven?_

"Well," Esme finally said, "it's a bit big, but yours are too small."

"She's somewhere in between," said Alice, then her face lit up. "I'll be right back."

While she was gone I made my way over to my grandma. "Why is this happening to me?" I asked, allowing her pull me into her lap. On any other grandma, a girl my size would've surely broken her bones, but Esme held me easily, she stroked my hair.

"You grow fast, sweetie, that's all," she said, as if it were the most normal thing in the world…still though, there's something about the way grandma's say things that make you feel like even though your world's falling apart, you know everything will be all right.

"How old am I?" I asked, the other thought that was bothering me.

She thought for a moment. "From the looks of it, I'd say you're twelve, going very quickly towards thirteen."

I sighed, not even surprised to hear how drastically I'd aged from about a month to the next. Alice came in then, holding out a—

"Sports bra?" I asked her, now mildly amused. Alice didn't _do_ sports bras; the one she held in her hand now was pinched between two of her fingers, as if the mere casualness of it would infect her.

"Yes," she said, "I found it with your mom's old things, Bella loved wearing this kind of raggedy stuff," she made a face, then turned to me with a smile, "But these stretch, so it should be perfect for you, especially if you don't want too many people to notice your little spurt."

I grabbed it from her and ran for the second time to the bathroom. It was perfect.

I came out, and judging by the looks on Esme and Alice's faces, I could tell we had found a temporary solution to my little problem. "I guess I'll get you some more of those _things_," said Alice, "though, sorry Nessie, but I hope you grow into the B cup soon, I hate how ugly those _things_ are."

I laughed, feeling much better as I slipped on the blouse and jeans. Looking at myself in the mirror I noticed I didn't look much different…well, an avid viewer might notice the slightly lifted stance of my bosom, but it wasn't anything extreme.

I wondered if Tom or Oliver would notice…_they probably won't_, I decided, they hadn't said anything the first time after all.

I looked at the time. _Shoot_! I was late. I raced out of my room and out of my house, slamming right into a broad chest.

"Oh, sorry Renesmee," said Oliver, leaning down to pick me up. I gasped..._and here I was worried about them noticing ME change._

The twins were at least a head taller.

"What happened to you guys?" I mused, as we headed out. "You got…bigger!"

Tom just grinned, but Oliver said something that, much to my surprise, gave me chills.

"I wouldn't be talking if I were you."

I blushed of course.

***

Let the skyrocketing begin! Alright, you know what to do now, let me know what you think, what you hate, what you love, just tell me something! I had said I wouldn't update till next week, but after reading the reviews I got, I couldn't help myself…hmmm, get the pattern? Lol, review, thanks!


	16. Changes

I want to correct something before anything; in chapter fifteen I somehow forgot that vampires don't have beating hearts, lol, so I had to go back and set that straight—I mentioned Alice's 'heart' fluttering while Jasper spoke to her, which we all know isn't possible, but it's fixed now. I also want to apologize beforehand for the turn my story is soon going to take—please don't hate me—with Nessie. Yes, she is Jake's imprint, however, as you've read thus far, there is an obvious attraction between her and Oliver…I'll leave it at that, just wanted to give you fair warning. Now, before you all slit my throat (mmm, blood), let me also remind you that the Volturri are involved in this story and there is a reason for the probable hook-up. If you want the bottom line, though, Jacob is not going to suffer all the way till the end, so yay! You just need to be patient…like Jacob,lol, well anyway here's the next chapter.

Oh and of course thank you for reviewing! They're my writing fuel.

The brilliance is all Stephanie Meyers, I only own the plot and some new faces.

***************************Oliver***********************************

I woke up with a high this morning. I was excited; we were finally going to get to hang out with Nessie! Ever since she and Jacob had 'made up' we'd seen less of her. I understood, of course, she didn't make it a secret that _he_ was her best friend, but I couldn't control the knot that twisted my stomach every time I saw them together.

It was stupid, really, to even consider that maybe she'd choose us instead of him. I mean, she was _his_ imprint after all, but still…the few times I had seen them together, I couldn't help noticing how different their relationship was than the other love birds I'd seen in our pack. Nessie didn't see Jacob _that_ way. As a matter of fact, I could swear she considered him more like family, like a brother even. I could only imagine how difficult it must be for Jacob; then again, maybe he was ok with it too. That's how the imprint thing worked; WE catered to THEM, so maybe Jacob was whatever Nessie wanted him to be.

Then again…I remembered his warning, his threat of the chance I even _looked_ at her in the wrong way…but that had been _before_ I realized what Nessie really was…

This is where the problem started. I tried convincing myself that both Tom and I missed her, that we wanted her to hang out with us every chance we got…but I knew better…Tom did miss her, of course, but not nearly as much as _I_ missed her…

It had started out small, the attraction I felt towards her. She was the coolest friend I'd ever had, at first, but then…well for one, I realized she wasn't exactly a _boy_, and then something else happened.

I starting _seeing_ her, I mean _really_ seeing her. Not only was she easygoing, funny, and the fastest twelve year old I knew; she was also caring, considerate, loyal, and all that other good stuff that boys deny even knowing about.

_Oh and did I mention she was also the most beautiful creature I had ever set eyes on?_

Of course I knew she had always been pretty, but I hadn't really considered it. She grew fast, of that I was aware, but I'm not entirely sure that's exactly what opened my eyes either…she wasn't the only one changing.

At first I didn't notice anything different, I mean, I saw my twin every day and he didn't look any different, so of course I knew I wasn't any different.

Then one day our shoes didn't fit, like, from one day to the next...a week after that the same thing happened with our clothes, and it wasn't because we were getting fat either—though I'm not sure how we avoided that considering we eat quite a bit—as a matter of fact, our bodies were doing the exact opposite…

By the following week, I had a six pack! Now, don't get me wrong, getting a six pack without exercising, it was pretty awesome, but aside from our bodies changing, even weirder things started happening in my brain.

I started noticing things, little things that would have never caught my attention. I noticed how my mom would sigh every time my dad left in the morning, as if him being gone for the day was a sad thing. I noticed how everyday our teacher, Mr. Stolls, walked over to Mrs. Hayes at exactly 10:31, and how she seemed eager every time. I even noticed how the hand lotion my mom had given me really did make my palms baby butt smooth…

But the one thing I really noticed, the one person…was Renesmee.

I noticed how she bit her lip and tilted her head when she was thinking, how by the end of the day her ponytail had fallen halfway out and she'd constantly have to tuck loose hairs behind her ear. I noticed the tender way in which she talked about her family, even Jacob, and how they meant everything to her. I noticed how everything seemed to light up when she smiled; already she had dazzled me on several occasions, I simply hadn't known it at the time.

And even though I knew she was Jacob's imprint, I couldn't help but wonder if there was any chance she could want me…Her indifference to Jacob in that area, despite the unfortunate dilemma it was for him, gave me undeserved hope, hope that by some miracle she could choose me…

Like I said, it was stupid, completely and absolutely _stupid_. Even if Nessie didn't like Jacob right now, why would she like me? She hadn't even noticed our sudden body changes—mind you they were sudden, but we still weren't even remotely as big as any of our pack brothers.

I sat up from under the bunk bed—Tom had beat me in a race to get the top bunk—so fast that I hit my head.

"Argh!" I muttered, as I lowered my head to get out. _Wait, I've never had to lower my head before…_

I peered up…_no wait, not exactly up_…at Tom; he was still under the covers, with his big feet hanging over…_lazy_, I thought. I went over to the bathroom to shower, stopping in front of the mirror to wash my face first. I almost doubled over when I saw my reflection.

I was at least a foot taller.

(An hour and a half later)

We were waiting in front of the Cullen's house, Renesmee was taking a bit longer for some reason. I looked around for Jacob but didn't see him anywhere. _Good_, I thought. If he saw how big we were, he might consider letting us do wolf stuff—several weeks ago I would've been ecstatic with the offer, but with my recent 'Renesmee' revelation, the less time I spent as a wolf, at least aside from the cave, the better. I was pretty good at hiding thoughts, but still, one slip and Jacob would have me for breakfast.

She suddenly came out, didn't spot us and ran right into me. I picked her up before she actually hit the ground full force.

"Oh sorry Renesmee," I said. She looked at me and her eyes widened.

"What happened to you guys?" she mused. We all took off at the same time. She continued gawking at us, "You got…bigger!"

_Finally she noticed_! I flashed a smile at her, and before thinking about what I was saying, said the first dumb thing that came to me.

"I wouldn't be talking if I were you."

And much to my satisfaction, she turned scarlet.

***********************Nessie************************************

I propelled myself to the front, anything to hide my flushed face. _How had they gotten so big overnight_? I could hear their breathing behind me; I pushed forward, I didn't want Oliver to catch me blushing again. We ran this way all the way to Port Angeles, and after having been going at top speed, I figured it was a good excuse as any to be red in the face.

"Wow, Renesmee," said Tom, breathing in deep, "you're getting faster girl!"

Oliver smiled at me, a sparkle in his eye, "Yeah, are you ok? You seem a little red in the face?"

I narrowed my eyes, don't get me wrong, of the two, Oliver probably is my favorite, but I didn't appreciate him teasing me that way.

"You noticed that did you?" I asked him sharply. His face fell, like I'd slapped him. I immediately felt bad. "I'm just a bit tired," I smiled at him, another vegetable turner; it worked, I'd dazzled him back into happiness.

Tom looked between the two of us and suddenly grinned mischievously. "Alright, let's get this party started," he said. We followed him into the theatre.

As we made our way to our seats, I was very aware of the order in which we went. I was in the front, Tom behind me, and Oliver at the back. I don't know why, but a small part of me was disappointed with this seating arrangement. We filed into the topmost row and I chose a center seat. Tom sat to my right and I expected Oliver to sit next to him, but instead, he etched his way past our knees to sit on my left. I felt a shiver run from my knees to the top of my spine as he slid past me.

"Sorry," he mumbled, his form too big for comfortable 'sliding by.'

"It's ok," I heard myself say, only it sounded like, "zzzkay."

_What was going on with me? Certainly my little morning growth couldn't be related to my sudden incoherence? _

Oliver sat down and leaned back; even sitting down he looked bigger. I couldn't help it, I asked.

"So, when did you guys start taking steroids?" I asked in a low voice. Oliver just grinned at me. Tom motioned for me to lean in.

"We've been growing steadily these past several weeks, Renesmee, you just haven't noticed," he said.

I thought about that for a moment; _I'd neglected them that much that I didn't even notice?_

I nodded my head, "But I just saw you guys yesterday, you were _definitely_ a head shorter."

This time Oliver leaned in towards me. "Well, _that_ is weird, but I think you know what it feels like," he gestured with his hand towards the length of my body, "don't take this the wrong way, but just the way you've been growing, I think something similar happened to us this morning."

"Yeah, like it just snuck up on us," continued Tom, but I was only barely listening; Oliver was still leaning over me to be part of the conversation, and my already hotter than average body temperature seemed to be increasing.

"Renesmee?" Tom asked, "You ok? You're sweating…"

"I'll be right back," I said, swiftly getting up. I made my way to the girls restroom and splashed my face.

_What was going on with me?_

***

Alright, so what do you think? More is going to happen on this day of fun, I hope I'm not ruining anyone's anticipations, but there's only one way to find out. Review! Let me know what you think. Thanks.


	17. Considering

Alright, here's chapter 17, I hope I haven't discouraged anyone with my story. Thank you so much to those of you who have reviewed and those continuing to review, you can't believe how much better it makes my day. Remember, if there's something you notice that's off about a chapter/story, or something you absolutely hate/love, let me know; I will do what I can to cater to your entertainment needs. I also want to let you all know that I updated the settings for receiving reviews—I was unaware that readers without an account couldn't review unless I enabled the setting for that—so now there's no excuse for not reviewing, lol. Thanks again, enjoy!

Of course I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's genius, simply the plot and some new characters in this story.

*******************************Mystery Guy**************************

"It appears the attraction will happen sooner than we thought," the girl said, she stood at the foot of my stance.

"We will have to engage the first part of the plan immediately, otherwise things could get out of hand," she continued, "according to our surveillance, the shape-shifter is already very enamored so she is bound to fall quite swiftly."

I stared intently at her, "And you are sure about this _imprinting_ mechanism?"

"Quite," she said, "we've been watching them and I'm positive he's the one."

"And once our people are in position, it should be quite easy retrieving the little hybrid; according to the magnitude of imprinting, she should stop at nothing to save him," said another voice, a young man.

"I see," I said, "and that is all, I presume, that I am allowed to know thus far?"

The girl smiled at me, "Yes, master, unfortunately the little fortune teller would ruin everything if she tells the shape-shifter before we get to him, he is the only way we can get the girl to give us a motive. As soon as Jeanine relocates, this conversation will no longer be safe."

I smiled, averting my attention to a different figure. "Jeanine, I think that is all for now, you may relocate the shield to its original location."

Jeanine smiled, "Yes, master." She closed her eyes and I could almost see the wards going up, a place I had yet to see.

************************Nessie**************************************

I don't remember what the movie was about, only that in the end some girl named Kim died to save some vampire. The whole time I sat rigid, terribly aware of each breath I took, even more aware of each breath Oliver took. We'd glanced at each other a couple of times throughout the movie and both times I'd nearly fled for the second time.

It was very uncomfortable.

Afterwards, we headed out to the new video game store. On the outside, things seemed normal, as if we'd simply picked up where we left off… that is, of course, disregarding the slight yet revealing _details_.

For one, I noticed how I was suddenly very aware of my body in front of the twins; before I'd been quite comfortable being around them, but when a chesty girl—probably late teens or so—walked in, I found myself wondering what _I_ looked like compared to _that_…knowing I had a male friend by my side, I'd glanced suspiciously at Oliver…only to find him staring intently at someone else…_me_. I also noticed how Oliver seemed to be standing behind me no matter where in the store I headed. I even looked at some 'So You Want to Be a Princess?' games to check if I was simply being paranoid…but Oliver hovered above my left ear nonetheless.

I noticed how Tom seemed to wander farther and farther away from us, leaving me alone with Oliver for longer periods of time than I was used to. He glanced at us every now and then, almost nervously, as if waiting for something to happen.

Unlike the dark and silent solitude of the theatre, I wasn't uncomfortable about being close to Oliver in the loud video game store; on the contrary, we laughed and joked about how nerdy the cash register guy looked, contemplated the different choices we had for lunch, he even laughed when we realized the nerdy cash register guy put his phone number on my receipt…Like I said, on the outside we were the same, and yet…

I could see the way his eyes shined when I dared to make eye contact…When I smiled it was like rockets shooting up into the air, the original fourth of July resurrected, and the few times I brushed by him I could've sworn we'd created a new form of electricity.

_His eyes_…they were his ultimate betrayal, a sign showing me something I had never seen before, or maybe it was simply because I was more aware now, maybe it had something to do with me growing up so fast…

I don't know why I was noticing these things, but I will admit one thing.

_I liked it very much._

****************************Oliver*******************************

We were just about done eating; we'd chosen a little Italian restaurant and I was working on Renesmee's leftovers. It was a bit strange, she could eat just as much as we could, when she wanted to anyway, and she didn't seem sick or anything...The best I could come up with was that she was nervous...it gave me hope.

"I'll be back," she said, getting up, "restroom."

I stopped eating and watched her retreating figure. A loud 'ahem' brought me back to Earth.

"Huh?" I looked at my brother. He raised an eyebrow at me, as if I was missing the punch line to an obvious joke, then shrugged his shoulders and took another bite out of his cheesecake.

"Jacob's going to kill you, you know," he said, his mouth still full.

I made to answer back, but he suddenly looked at me seriously.

"Oliver," he said, putting down his fork. _Uh oh, he wasn't even finished with his cheesecake…this was bad._

"Don't think I haven't picked up on your little 'crush' on Renesmee," he continued, "and don't even think about denying it, you can't lie to me, I'm your twin."

I looked at him with an incoherent expression. "But—"

"No, Oliver," he said firmly, "I know what you're thinking, and I agree, it is weird that she isn't into Jacob like _that_, but in case you haven't noticed, she's not your typical imprint, _she's half vampire_!"

I nodded my head at him, "I know that, _stupid_, but maybe, since she's so…_different_, well, you never know, it couldn't hurt to try?"

But Tom nodded his head vehemently. "No way, bro, even if she did like you, though I can't see why, haven't you forgotten something?"

I looked at him blankly. Tom looked at me like he couldn't believe he had a moron for a twin brother.

"_You're a werewolf_!" he hissed, so low that only I heard him.

"Technically,"I interrupted, "you mean shape-shifter."

Tom's mouth dropped open. "You're unbelievable, you know that? That is SO not the point."

I took another bite.

"You're going to imprint on someone someday also. So even if things did work out with you and Renesmee, and you managed to hide it from Jacob somehow, you risk the chance of imprinting on someone else. You've seen Leah, dude. Do you want to hurt Renesmee like that?"

His words made sense, I nodded my head; no, of course I didn't want to hurt Renesmee like that…_but what if—_

"Let me guess? What if your imprint is just like Renesmee and Jacob? No romantic urges?" he said.

_How was he doing that? As if he could read my thoughts..._

_"Just because its not like that now_ doesn't mean it won't be _later_." Said Tom. "So even if you do jump into your little 'fairy tale,' the best you can hope for is something temporary."

I gulped down the last meatball. He was right of course. If Renesmee and I hooked up, we still ran the risk of either one of us _realizing_ our imprints…

"So think about that before you go and do something stupid," Tom was saying, but I was still thinking.

There was still…the _small_ chance, however slight it may be, that neither of us _actually_ realized our imprints, that Jacob would remain Renesmee's best friend forever, and similarly with me and my future imprint…

"Oliver," Tom was saying, waving his hand in my face, "hello? Why aren't you saying anything? I don't like that look on your face, you can't be seriously considering—"

"Considering what?" Renesmee asked, back from the restroom. She sat down in front of me.

"Uh…" said Tom, racking his brain for something that made sense.

"Considering getting a chocolate cake for dessert," I answered with a smile. Renesmee rolled her eyes.

"Do you even _need_ to consider? You guys can eat anything," she said, smiling at me.

I winked at her. "You know it," I said. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Tom's internal groaning, but I didn't care, I was too busy being dazzled by the miracle that was Renesmee.

***

Ok, so this is kind of part two of the fun filled day, one more part to go…the cave! OOooh, underground and alone…what will happen? _Will it even happen_? And what's this _plan_ even the mystery guys doesn't know about? Review, review, and review some more to find out! Again, in case you didn't read the intro notes, I have enabled anonymous reviews (despite the sites warning against doing so, idk why…) so if you don't have a fanfiction account, you can still review. Alright, that's it for now, thanks.


	18. Like Heaven

I'm such a sucker for updating…I really should be focusing on my finals but I can't help it, I'm hooked…makes me really consider changing majors…anyway, enough about me, here's chapter eighteen. Oh, and to all my reviewers, I love you guys! You make writing this story worth more than a freshly chilled bloodsickle! No but seriously, you guys are the best, so anyway enough talking, you know the routine, review and I'll be obligated to update, thanks!

I do not own the fantastic work of Stephanie Meyer, solely the plot and some new characters of this story.

***********************Tom******************************

I watched as my suicidal brother flirted with Renesmee. _Yes, I said suicidal_. Even if they did somehow hit it off, Oliver wouldn't have time to enjoy it; Jacob would've murdered him already.

_Why didn't Oliver understand that?!_

We were running towards the cave, and for a second, I almost wished the rest of the pack could hear our thoughts down there, that way my blinded brother could get caught before anything serious happened…but as soon as we reached the bottom, I could feel the link that connected us to the pack disappear. It was a weird sensation; even when I wasn't a wolf, I'd always sensed the connection snap away, like if we were in our own little bubble.

I smiled at Renesmee when she asked me something about one of the games we'd bought. _Poor girl_, I thought, if my dimwitted brother got his way, she was going to find herself in the middle of something serious.

Don't get me wrong, I could understand how Oliver had fallen for her, she really was one of a kind…_but it went against everything the pack stood for, for crying out loud!_

A pack member's imprint was sacred. We'd learned this almost as soon as we became part of it, and as far as I can remember, _hadn't Oliver been sitting right next to me when they told us about it?_

"Tom, are you coming?" asked Renesmee. I looked at her, noticing the protective stance Oliver was taking just behind her.

"Oh, I'm coming," I said, more for Oliver's sake than my own. We raced through the cave towards the underground bay. Renesmee had been here enough times that she had the route almost as memorized as we did, she ran in front. I ran slightly behind her, though I could hear Oliver catching up. I made it a point to stay in between them.

If Oliver didn't want to see reason, then I would do it for him. I would have to keep an eye on them, it was the least I could do.

********************Nessie******************************************

I stopped just in time before reaching the ledge over the bay. I felt hands around my waist nonetheless; I turned around expectantly.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to fall over," I said laughing, but stopped abruptly when I looked up into the face of Tom, not Oliver. "Oh," I said, then smiled, "thanks anyway, Tom."

"Anytime Renesmee," he said, but he wasn't looking at me, he was looking at Oliver.

I looked between the two of them and acted fast. "So," I said, an endeavor of ridding the tension, "what say we take a swim?"

That got their attention. "A _swim_?" asked Tom, directing his attention towards me. "Renesmee, it's the beginning of winter."

"I'm down," said Oliver, grinning widely.

"No, no," I said, cursing myself inwardly for my hasty suggestion, "how about we do something else instead?"

"Like hide and go seek," Oliver suddenly said. Tom and I looked at him, then each other, and then laughed.

"Dude," said Tom, "what are we, seven?"

But Oliver continued grinning, "No, you and I are nearing thirteen, and Renesmee's not far behind. What, are you scared I'll smell you out?" he challenged. Tom made a face; I knew he didn't like backing down on a challenge.

"You're on," he said, "you seek first." And he was gone.

I made to protest but Oliver winked at me again. "Trust me, this is going to be the best hide and seek ever."

I blushed, of course, though I was still confused. Were we seriously going to play this _little kids_ game?

"Better get going girly," Oliver said, he had his head against the wall of the cave, "I'm not going to give you any kind of break just because you're beautiful."

I gawked at him. _Was he actually saying I had less of a chance because I was a girl?_ I was about to retort back angrily when—_wait, did he call me beautiful_?

I made my way quietly down the ledge and into the shelter of the trees, shaking my head. _I can't believe I'm actually playing hide and seek as a twelve year old…Oliver said I was beautiful…_I found the perfect shrub to hide behind. I was sure Oliver would look in the cave first, which would give me more than ample time to get back to home ba—_wait a second, where was home base?_ I went back to a few seconds ago, trying to recall the mention of home base, but I couldn't remember anything. _That's weird, how can you play hide and seek without a home b—_

I let out a strangled cry as two heavy arms wrapped around me. Oliver shushed me, motioning for me to follow him. Without even thinking to ask, I followed.

He took me to a part of the trees I hadn't been to yet…a very well hidden part. I looked at him confused.

"What—" I started to ask, but he shushed me again. He seemed nervous about something; I couldn't help it, I blurted out, "You're not going to try to kill me are you?" I laughed. He returned a nervous giggle, "No, dummy." _Wait, did I say giggle_?

He cleared his throat and suddenly stopped chuckling. "Renesmee," he said softly, "there's something I've been wanting to tell you." And he was gazing at me like never before; I knew exactly what was coming…

_And then I swear_ _my heart stopped working_.

I could hear the sweat trickling along his forehead…_along my forehead_! He took my hands in his, and suddenly the rockets were taking off again; his eyes shone like I'd never seen them shine. I simply nodded; my tongue having taking a momentary leave of absence as well.

"You're the most awesome, most amazing, not to mention the most beautiful girl I know," he said—my heart turned on again, and began to work overtime, I was sure my chest would explode any second now—, "and I know we've only known each other for a short time, but…" he paused, turning a deep red but somehow managing to keep his eyes focused on mine, "lately you're all I can think about," he admitted.

_Oh geez_, I thought, I could literally feel my chest getting ready to pop, if my heart didn't slow down anytime soon, there'd be Nessie guts all over the place—

"And I know, technically, we're both still too young for relationships," he was saying—I was trying not to hyperventilate—, "but if I don't tell you how I feel _now_, I might lose the chance to ever be with you at all."

I blinked. He smiled sympathetically at my stunned silence.

"I guess my point is, Renesmee, that I _like_ you, you know, not just like 'I'd pick you first on my team 'cuz you're my friend' like you, but more like 'over the fence, out of the park, world series' kind of like you…"

I stared at him, the same 'duh' expression still plastered on my face. It wasn't until he prompted me that I realized he was waiting for some kind of response, or reaction even.

"Oh," was all I said, then, "Oh, I think I understand…" I smiled at him. "I like you too, Oliver, though I'm not sure if it's exactly the same way y—" but I never got to finish.

I tasted a pair of lips for the first time, and the world around me dissipated. It was desperate, it was passionate, his warm breath trailed my parted lips down to my chin, my neck, then back up to the outer part of my ear; I gasped with the sensation, pleasure I'd never dreamed possible, it was all happening right here, right now, too fast. Oliver kissed me softly, urgently, as if this kiss would decide whatever chance he had with me, as if it might be the last kiss in the world…so I kissed back… and it was utter bliss. Feelings I'd kept hidden deep within me suddenly sprang to life, urges I'd never even considered took over my body. My mind was a jumbled mass of emotions: hunger, lust, confusion, desire,…but above all, complete and indescribable joy.

I could have been with him forever, but suddenly another voice broke our too-quick moment of heaven, and we both jumped five feet away from each other.

"Damnit, Oliver," said Tom, scowling in annoyance, "you just _had_ to make out with the pretty girl."

***

Yay! Finally some action! I know, all you team Jacob's are going to hunt me down and choke me, but the attraction between Oliver and Nessie was inevitable, sorry…but don't worry, there is a lot more to come, and definitely more chapters. Review and let me know what you think, thanks!


	19. Humiliating

Thank you to all of you that have reviewed! It's awesome to hear there's people out there that actually like my story, this is my first fanfic so I was a bit worried it wouldn't be that good, but you guys give me hope . Ok, well, as you know, Nessie and Oliver just had their first kiss, so in the next chapters, including this one, we're going to see some of the recent aftermath…it might not be too exciting but I think it's important knowing where certain characters stand. Anyway, here's chapter nineteen, read and please review! Thanks.

Again, I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

**********************Nessie**************************************

I walked in without really knowing how I was doing so; I was barely even aware of my legs moving. Tom and Oliver had accompanied me most of the way home, leaving me about a mile away, but I didn't care…I was too preoccupied replaying that amazing kiss…It had been…well, to be honest, I couldn't remember _exactly_ how it felt, but I did know the sweet sensation had made me dizzy, in a way I knew no medicine could cure, in a way I didn't _want_ any medicine to cure.

It was around eight thirty—I'd said I'd be home by seven—so I closed the door quietly, hoping to get to my room without detection.

"Nessie," my mom said, as soon as I'd shut the door behind me, "care to explain yourself?" She stood with her arms crossed, though I could almost see a glint of a smile in her eyes.

_That's weird…Uh oh, if mom's still here then daddy must be—_

"Hello, sweetheart," said my dad, appearing suddenly by my mom's side. I looked at him and panicked, it was one of those times I wished he couldn't read my thoughts…Oliver had made me promise not to say anything about _us_—not that there was an _us_, exactly—especially to Jake. I knew if I wanted it, daddy wouldn't say a word to Jake, but I wasn't exactly thrilled knowing he knew I'd just made out with a boy.

I expected him to go crazy on me, the way Alice told me he used to get when my mom did something reckless, but instead he regarded me with calm. I thought about that for a second when my mom finally broke the silence.

"Renesmee," she said, "I'm still waiting for an answer." I didn't know what to say, I just looked at my parents, blushing when daddy raised an eyebrow at me and—_no way! He was totally laughing at me!_

I glared at him, then turned to face my mom. She sent a glare in my dad's direction and immediately his smile disappeared. He 'ahemed' and his face reflected a series of emotions: surprise, awkwardness…_understanding_?...and then he fixated the same 'you're in trouble, young lady' look on me.

Both pairs of golden eyes were now staring at me, waiting for an answer. I gulped. "Well, you see," I started, then stopped—_was Jake anywhere nearby_?—my dad nodded no, so I continued, "we decided to hang out in the woods after we ate, um…we played hide and seek." _It wasn't exactly a lie…_

"And then?" prompted my mom. I could feel my face get hotter as I struggled to avoid thinking about Oliver. "Then? Well, we uh, you see…um," I stuttered, glancing fearfully at my dad.

_Why were they making me go through this?_ _Hadn't HE been eavesdropping on me since I got within range of the house?_

"Actually, Nessie," my dad came over to my side, "your mother was shielding you. She only removed it just several minutes ago. I was listening to Oliver's thoughts," he paused, looking away from my guilty face, "I wasn't completely sure if what he was thinking about was a fantasy or for real." He forced himself to look at me, "but I see now that it was _quite_ real."

I groaned and put my face in my hands. _How humiliating! _

*********************Edward************************************

I could tell she didn't want to tell us. Unfortunately, I didn't know if what I'd heard from Oliver's thoughts were true or not.

"Renesmee," said Bella, I could hear a hint of amusement in her tone, "I'm still waiting for an answer." Nessie was looking at me, and…_blushing like mad_! It reminded me of Bella's human days, and a huge smile erupted onto my face without warning.

Nessie suddenly glared at me. I looked at her, _what had I done_?...Then it occurred to me; _she thinks I'm laughing at her_, …but then Bella sent me an almost identical glare, simultaneously removing the shield from our flustered daughter. I 'ahemed' and focused on the scattered thoughts coming from Nessie.

_She did what?!_

That's not what Oliver had been thinking about...his thoughts showed them holding hands in the theatre, not making ou—

I almost lost my calm, barely paying attention to her feeble explanation. To be honest I was a bit disappointed she hadn't done a better job of hiding the—I gulped—_detailed_ truth, usually she was very good at controlling her thoughts, and likewise her public appearance—something she'd picked up from me—but now…her thoughts were erratic, glimpses of the 'heavenly moment' mixed in with the fear of Jake finding out. I noted this was a promise she'd made to Oliver, and that she had yet to know anything about the imprinting ordeal. She stumbled through her words, then looked at me, wondering why we were making her explain her personal moment when I already knew everything anyway.

I would've loved to let Bella—_heck, even Rosalie!—_, handle this, but I went over to her anyway.

"Actually, Nessie," I said, "your mother was shielding you. She only removed it just several minutes ago. I was listening to Oliver's thoughts," I paused, looking away from her guilty face, "I wasn't completely sure if what he was thinking was a fantasy or for real." I had to force myself to look at her, "but I see now that it was _quite_ real."

Nessie looked at me in utter mortification, then threw her hands down into her face.

I looked over at Bella, and she seemed to understand the look I gave her.

_That's fine_, she thought towards me, having removed her shield, _but you're going to have to tell me everything._

***************************Oliver***************************************

I lay in my bed with the biggest smile. Tom had since an hour ago left me alone; he was still convinced what I had done was some kind of sin or something. Four hours ago, I might've agreed with him, that what I'd done—_correction_, what _Renesmee_ and I'd done—was one hundred percent wrong.

That was four hours ago. _Now_, after having experienced _that_…I was already planning when we could do it again. Tom would be on me, I knew that, but he had to get tired eventually, right?

Renesmee was absolutely incredible, and by some miracle, _she'd actually kissed me back_! I would've probably left her alone if she hadn't, but the truth of the matter is that she did…_and oh what a kiss it'd been_! I could still remember the way my body tingled against hers, the way she'd lost her hands in my hair just to pull me closer…her breath was sweet, like nothing I'd ever smelled before, and her hair was silky, soft and smooth against my rough hands…

As I lay there, reminiscing the perfect moment, I finally forced myself to think about what I'd been avoiding, the one reason my relationship with Renesmee was still pending…

Jacob Black.

I'd purposefully thought simple, not too destructive thoughts as we'd neared the Cullen property; I knew about her mind reading father.

The right thing to do would've been to never kiss the alpha's imprint to begin with…so that was obviously out the window.

The next best thing would be something along the lines of "_Hey Renesmee, listen, what happened last night, I don't know, maybe we shouldn't get involved like that anymore, we're too young anyway_" and then walking away…

Let's face it, I'm not doing _that_.

And so that really only left me with one option: _hide from the scary wolf_.

As long as Jacob didn't know, Renesmee and I would be fine. I'd already told her not to tell him, and she'd promised without hesitation. Just that act alone told me that she liked me a good deal, probably not as much as I liked her, but enough nonetheless.

It was cowardly, and I hated myself for it, but the thought of having the bronze haired half-human, half-vampire girl all to myself…was worth it.

***

Alright, like I said, not too exciting, but now you know where Oliver stands—I know most of you probably hate his guts right now—and Edward (consequently Bella) is now aware of the whole little incident, so what happens now? In case anyone is wondering, no, Jacob does not know…yet, but his POV will pop up in the next chapter, so just hang in there for me. Again, review, review! Theyre starting to slow down and I need motive to keep updating lol, so let me know what you think, thanks.


	20. Nightmare

Uh oh, am I losing you guys? I hope not…well, here's chapter twenty. Please review and let me know what you think, whether you like it/hate it, suggestions, comments, concerns, anything. Ok enjoy. Thanks.

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's wonderful work, solely the plot and some new faces.

*************************Nessie***********************************

Considering the day's events—with the exception of my embarrassing encounter with my parents—I expected to have the best dream upon touching my pillow…but I was wrong. It was _the_ dream, the nightmare that'd haunted me until recently. I'd been so involved with my new friends and the whole Jake situation that I hadn't even noticed the sudden disappearance of that awful presence.

It began like it always did, Jake and I running through an open field under the stars, with nothing but freedom and happiness waiting for us along the horizon. I was ahead, and I could hear Jake's musical voice behind me, laughing. When I looked at him, I saw the sun, the moon, my best friend, and the only one in the world that mattered; he smiled at me, my favorite grin, I almost slowed down to run alongside him, but then _they_ appeared. I gasped, my feet glued to the ground, and watched in horror as Jake seemed to ignore the fact that the Volturri were straight ahead. I called out in anguish, pleading that he stop, that he come back to me, but he only turned and smiled at me, running full speed to his demise…I realized, just as I always did, that he was doing it for me, sacrificing himself so that I might have the chance to get away, to live and be happy… it tore me apart, _how could I live in a life without my Jake?_ He phased within feet of them, getting ready to fight single handedly; my body finally snapped and I ran forward, vaguely aware that I'd been here before, and that the blackness would swallow me any second now. I pushed harder, willing my legs—which were surprisingly much stronger than before—and I closed the gap between myself and the survival of my other half. I was, in the back of my mind somewhere, surprised; I had never gotten this far, this close, but just as I was about to leap onto the small girl that led the attack, _it_ closed in on me, the imprisoning blackness, the ultimate cage that would mean the absolute death of my everything…

My eyes flashed open, and I resisted with difficulty to scream. I was sweating, and my breaths were coming in uneven intervals. I forced myself to calm down. _It was just a dream,_ I said to myself, _just a really, really, really, REALLY bad dream_.

I peered over at the alarm clock…it was three twenty seven in the morning. I flopped myself back onto my bed, still shaken up, considering whether or not to call my mom, she and daddy would be at the cottage right now…but at the same time, I longed to see Jake, to make sure my nightmare had been only that, a nightmare…

I knew my family would have a fit if I disappeared during this hour; then again, they wouldn't let me go if they knew where I was going anyway…

_But I hadn't had that dream in such a long time, what if it meant Jake really was in trouble?!_

That decided it for me. I crept out of bed slowly, and over to the window. Luckily, I usually slept with it slightly ajar so it didn't make any noise when I pushed it up a bit more. The jump was soundless, thank goodness, and I raked my eyes over the darkness, looking for the giant russet wolf that usually slept out here…I didn't see him.

I could feel a lump forming in my throat as the nightmare came to mind, but then something wet and gooey bombarded my face.

"Ugh," I whispered, as Jake nuzzled his head against my arm. My shoulders sagged with relief and I forced the lump down, which still threatened to expose my sudden surge of emotion towards the fact that Jake really was ok. He looked at me questioningly, and I motioned for him to follow me; it would be safer to talk elsewhere, away from the super sensitive ears of my family.

We raced into the forest, making sure to steer relatively clear of my parents' cottage. When I knew we were in safe territory, I stopped, looking behind me for Jake, but he wasn't there. For a moment I panicked again, then I saw him; he'd stayed back a ways to phase and change into some shorts. He came towards me, and suddenly I couldn't help it.

I ran to him and cried my heart out.

*****************************Jake*************************************

I could hear her tossing and turning in her bed, even moaning slightly. I remained fixed under her window, concerned with what nightmare could possibly be aggravating her like that. Then suddenly it stopped, and she took in a huge breath, as if convincing herself it'd only been a dream. I waited for a few more seconds; it'd been awhile since she'd had nightmares. I never brought it up to her, figuring it wasn't something she liked to talk about since she never brought it up herself, but tonight, it seemed like it was one of the worst.

Suddenly, she was on the ground in front of me, her robe tucked securely around her thin pajamas. Her hair stuck up in funny ways and I almost barked out a laugh when I noticed the worried look on her face. She hadn't noticed me yet, and the need to comfort her was overwhelming…so I snuck up behind her and licked her face.

"Ugh," she whispered, though I could see the worry fade completely from her face. _Had she been having a nightmare about me?_

She motioned for me to follow so I did; she led me to a secluded area of the forest, a place I knew to be out of reach of her annoying mind reading father. I held back to transform and change; I had a feeling she wanted to talk to me about something. For a moment I dared believe that perhaps she'd finally realized what she felt for me, and the crazy fantasies followed such an epiphany…but as I walked out to meet her, I knew it was something different.

Her eyes glistened, and she looked at me with the most heartbreaking half-smile…concern etched itself across my face and I made to rush towards her…but she had already ran into my open arms, sobbing relentlessly.

I could feel her tears against my chest, her body shook up and down as she let it all out. If this had been a different scenario, I probably would've been forced to recite the preamble again, but given the circumstances, all I could think of was what had shaken her up so badly, and what I could do to make it all better.

"It's alright, Ness," I said soothingly, "I'm here, your Jake's here." I rubbed her back and caressed her hair. She continued to cry for the next five minutes or so until she finally pulled back, almost shyly, and looked up at me.

"You must think I'm the biggest cry baby, huh?" she said, her tear stained face causing me pain.

"No, Nessie," I smiled at her, "everyone cries, even big, strong, girls like you."

She smiled at me, the same smile that said I was her best friend, that she loved me, that I could always make her feel better, the same smile I saw myself hoping to stare at for the rest of my life.

"So," I asked her, "what's with the waterworks anyway?" She sighed, and let go of me. My hands didn't seem to realize this and they remained outstretched in front of me. She sat down on the floor and I sat down next to her; she snuggled closer to me.

"I had a nightmare," she said in a small voice, then looked up at me, "pretty stupid reason to get all dramatic, huh?"

I nodded my head no and motioned for her to go on. She did, telling me how it was the same nightmare from months ago, and how it had just crept up on her tonight out of nowhere. I could see her eyes threatening to release Niagara falls all over again as she told me about the contents of the dream, how it always ended with me running to fight the Volturri single handedly. She shivered when she said the name; I could understand, of course, the Volturri were not something to consider lightly.

"But," I said to her when she'd finished, "it was just a nightmare, Ness. The Volturri don't have any reason to come down here, you know that."

She looked at me through sad eyes, "I know, but," she sniffled, "if that were to ever happen," and now she looked at me with so much emotion I almost started crying myself, "I have the feeling that _is_ something you'd do." She grabbed my hand, "And, Jake, I don't know if I could live with myself if—if," and the tears streamed down, "if anything were to happen to you. I _need_ you Jake."

I looked at her in awe. She was seriously wounded at the mere _thought_ of my perishing, and despite the unclenching pain it caused me, I could feel another part of me jumping into the air with joy: _she needed me!_

I let her crawl into my lap, she burrowed her head into the arch of my neck. "Don't worry, Nessie," I said to her, "I'm not going anywhere."

***

Ha! I bet you thought something _else_ might've happened here, but no, sorry, not quite yet…I haven't received many reviews lately, so until I do, I'm going to have to refrain from updating (gives me time to study anyway). In the next chapters, we're going to see the relationship between Nessie and her 'boys' develop. It's going to be confusing, it's going to be sensual, and oh yea, Christmas will get here. Also, mystery guy will make several more appearances, though I'm not sure how much I will reveal about him yet so we'll see. Ok, well, I hope you're still enjoying, please review and let me know what you think; if I get ample enough reviews, who knows, I just might have to update sooner. Thanks.


	21. Mongrel

Hi again, I just want to say, _you all are awesome_! Keep up the reviews, they make me feel giddy inside lol, but anyway, to get to business: Nessie is going to start feeling more confused than ever, just thought I'd give the heads up, and yes, Oliver is going to get on all of your nerves, especially if you're a team Jacob member, but...it just makes for such interesting reading I can't help it. Well, enough talking, here's chapter twenty one, enjoy and please review, thanks.

Again, for the nth plus one time, I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's fabulous work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

******************************Bella************************************

I watched as my distraught daughter ate her scrambled eggs with a glass of blood—she had looked so pensive while she'd pleaded for it that I couldn't deny her—and thought over what Edward had told me.

Oliver had kissed Nessie. The fact that my daughter was barely going to be a teenager, and that Oliver had—my eyes sparkled dangerously—'groped' her, as Edward had put it…well, it had me on high alert. For one, if Nessie had cooperated—again, I tried not thinking too badly about the boy who'd put his dirty paws on her—then that meant she must be quite aware of the opposite sex.

I looked at the wolf sitting across from her; Jacob was looking at the glass of blood in disgust but with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He was in a good mood this morning, as was Nessie, though I could see confusion in her eyes, as if something about Jacob was giving her a headache. Nonetheless, she humored him and the two of them laughed heartily over nothing in particular.

He was the main reason I was now morbidly terrified. For all any of us knew, Oliver could be just a harmless experience, a young infatuation, but if Nessie suddenly decided she wanted to try stuff with _Jacob_…I might as well give them my blessing now.

I didn't like it. If Nessie was getting 'urges' I hated to think what might run through Jacob's head should he find out. Edward had notified us that, ever since they'd made up, Jacob had behaved rather well, and I was very grateful to him for that, but still. The only thing that kept me from going insane now was the fact that Jacob didn't know.

Edward had been very specific when revealing this news; Oliver, without saying why, had made Nessie promise not to say anything about their—I grimaced—_relationship_ to Jacob. To my surprise, Nessie agreed without question, which did make something else evident.

She really did like the boy. I hadn't spoken much to Oliver, and the few times I'd seen him, he looked just like any other boy from La Push, dark skinned, black eyes, muscular, black hair, with the exception of being a lot smaller than the rest of the pack. He didn't _seem_ like anything threatening, but then again…

I vaguely remembered Mike Newton, and how friendly he'd been with me, _too_ friendly. After I'd turned, Edward told me of some of the fantasies the blond boy use to have about me; it was disturbing. So this Oliver kid could be just the same…I growled, forgetting for a second that I was still in the same room as Nessie and Jacob. They both looked at me in surprise. I flashed a quick smile in apology.

Edward would keep on eye on Oliver; worrying about what could potentially happen between Nessie and Jacob would be a complete waste of time if Oliver made any more progress with her first.

I watched as my beautiful daughter got up and went over to kiss her gorgeous father goodbye. It was the last day of school before the holidays; Christmas was in less than a week. She came over to me and I kissed her goodbye. Jake followed, his face was radiant mood, hyper, though I couldn't tell why… Suddenly he did the most absurd—but otherwise most hysterical thing I'd ever seen.

As soon as Nessie hugged and kissed Edward goodbye, Jacob went over… _and tried to do the same! _

Edward's eyes widened as he read what me and a very disgusted Rosalie saw clearly: Jacob had a stupid grin on his face and he only barely missed slamming head first into the wall in his attempt to actually _kiss_ Edward on the cheek!

Edward was by my side instantly, a deep scowl of annoyance on his face. Nessie was laughing hysterically, and I forced away the urge to join her, though I couldn't keep the amused smile that flitted across my face. Jacob stood up and made a similar gesture towards Rosalie, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

Rosalie looked furious. "You disgusting _mongrel_!" she spat at him, stalking out of the room and calling out for Emmet. I could hear his bellowing laugh as Rosalie yelled what the 'mongrel' had just insinuated—well I knew one thing: Emmet wouldn't be getting _any_ tonight.

Jacob looked over at Nessie, who was at this point on the ground clutching her stomach. The sight filled me with great melancholy, and yet I smiled…She looked just like the little girl she should be, carefree and, for the moment at least, enjoying the funny things in life.

Jacob winked at me and waved bye to us, picking up Nessie on the way out the door and hauling her out like a sack of potatoes. She was laughing so hard I doubt she would have made it to the door any other way.

I looked over at my disgruntled husband, failing to hide the smile on my face.

"I know he's your friend, Bella," he said in a dangerously low voice, "but Rosalie's right, he is a _disgusting mongrel_!"

I patted him on the back. "Now, now, Edward," I said, the Oliver-Renesmee-Jacob problem out of my mind—really, Jacob always did know how to make me laugh…_must be the same with Nessie_—"he hasn't been like that in a long time…though, I do wonder what could've caused…?"

Edward, still scowling, turned to me, "He slept with Nessie last night."

***********************Edward**************************************

She had me pinned up against the wall in a flash.

"HE DID WHAT!?!"

Now it was my turn to look amused. "_Sweetheart_," I said, in the irresistible velvety voice I knew she couldn't turn down, "it's not like you're thinking…by the way you're hurting me."

Bella looked at me, the rage she'd felt swell up inside somewhat quelled. She lowered me onto the floor but still held onto my arm. "Edward Cullen, dazzling me is not going to help your. Explain before I discomfigure your gorgeous butt."

"You'd really do that to me?" I asked innocently. Her hand clasped me tighter. I winced at the pressure on my arm; Bella must've been grateful for her lingering newborn strength.

"Nessie had a nightmare last night, apparently it had something to do with Jacob and the Volturri, so she woke up and freaked out," I explained, "She went to go check on him and confessed her inability to live without him in her life. You can imagine the magnitude those words held for Jacob, even if they weren't in the _exact_ context he wanted. They slept outside in the forest, then just before dawn, Nessie climbed back into her room."

Bella growled at me.

"Nothing happened, Bella, not even a single bad thought," I smiled her favorite crooked grin, "trust me. I would've personally murdered him if it did."

She took it in, attempting, with difficulty, to not be sucked into what she often called my 'glamour'; then, after a few moments, let go of my arm, though she turned away from me, still upset.

"You could've warned me, you know," she said stubbornly. I went over to hug her from behind.

"I was going to, _dear_, but you didn't give me the chance," I paused, then turned her around to face me. "Want to know what he was thinking right before he tried to kiss me?"

She rolled her eyes but nodded anyway, a smile betraying her supposed anger. I was almost in the clear.

"He was saying 'I know you heard what Nessie told me last night, ha! In your face bloodsucker, she _does_ need me, I'm so happy I could kiss you!'" then I frowned slightly, "And then I realized he was being serious."

Bella grinned widely at me, and grabbed me, pulling me closer. "I could kiss you, if you'd like?" she said, no longer upset. I smiled at her knowingly, dazzling her in consequence.

"I'm afraid it's going to take more than that to get back in my good books, Mrs. Cullen," I said, rubbing where she'd grabbed my arms in mock pain, "I might not be able to use my arms after the way you grabbed me."

The exquisite creature before me dazzled me back. "That's not all you won't be able to use when I get through with you," Bella said seductively, completely removing the top four buttons of her blouse. I could've taken her right there.

"Oh, man," walked in Emmet, rolling his eyes and looking away in mock mortification, "you guys are worse than Rose and I."

But Bella and I had already raced away.

*****************************Nessie************************************

After Jake dropped me off at school, I couldn't help but return to my unsettling thoughts. For one, I was going to see Oliver, and my stomach did all kinds of gymnastics at the mere thought. I know I'd just been with him yesterday evening, but I missed him already. I spotted him, waiting for me outside the classroom. I looked over my shoulder to make sure Jake had left, then ran eagerly to meet him.

He opened his arms for me, hugging me briefly before tilting my head up to kiss me lightly on the lips. I could've melted. Tom was eyeing us both angrily. _Seriously, what was his problem?_

We filed into class and took our seats. It was only till Mr. Stolls began to lecture that I considered my other unsettling thought.

Last night, when I'd been with Jake, something had happened. I couldn't quite place what it was exactly, but after telling him about my nightmare, and spending the night tucked into his chest, I felt…_different_. It was disconcerting, like I was missing a vital piece of the puzzle, a puzzle I hadn't even been aware of building.

Just this morning, Jake seemed happier than usual, and his exuberance made me just as happy—not to mention his little joke, _that was hilarious_!—almost as happy as I'd been last night with Oliver..

_Obviously_ it was a very different kind of happy, I flushed, glancing at Oliver; he was staring at me, of course. I blushed more, cursing myself inwardly for being such an open book. I looked forward, pretending to pay attention, as my twin friends had advised me what seemed like such a short time ago. I glanced at Tom; he was busy glaring at Oliver but, catching my curious gaze, immediately smiled in my direction…almost as if there was something he was keeping secret, something he didn't want me to know…

_Was it possible the twins were hiding something from me? _

***

And the stirrings begin, yes, but Nessie isn't aware of what they actually mean…plus Jacob almost kissed Edward, ha! And _no_, nothing is going to happen between Edward and Jacob—I know some of you thought it—I just thought it'd be funny; there will be no unlikely pairings (i.e. Jacob and Edward) in this fanfic, I'm trying to keep the characters as true to character as possible so yea lol…Thank you for reviewing if you have, and if you haven't…review! Lol, it's quite simple really, I really appreciate it and welcome any critiques as well. Thanks.


	22. Obvious

Thank you to all my reviewers, I can't stop saying how much I appreciate it. Please continue reviewing and letting me know what you think. Well, here's chapter twenty two, I decided to expose a variety of POVs in this one, so bear with me; I know most of you want to hear mainly Nessie/ Jacob but don't worry, they will appear more so than others. Thanks.

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's genius, solely the plot and some new characters to this story.

***************************Oliver***********************************

I hated having to hide my feelings for Renesmee in public. Though Tom and I were the only shape-shifters in our class, I made sure not to give too much away; there was no risking Jacob finding out. Renesmee seemed to understand without my even explaining; it only made me more captivated with her. After class, I forced the thoughts of Renesmee's glory out of mind; we would see Jacob in a bit and I couldn't afford a single slip.

He came practically bounding towards us, shirtless and glistening like the sun; I forced down the lump in my throat. He was obviously in a good mood and I didn't want to be the one who ruined it. As he approached us, a sudden look of shock came over his face.

_Uh oh_…_I pictured my funeral, my mom would be crying over my mangled body, and Tom would be looking at me like 'I told you so'…_

But then I realized his surprise was aimed at our appearance; he still hadn't seen us, and given that we were a good head taller, it was bound to get his attention.

_Wow, I got to stop being such a paranoid wuss…_

"Well, well, well," he said, after picking up Renesmee in greeting—I held back a growl—"look who's finally filling out." His grin never left his face, and I found myself curious with his sudden cheerfulness; last I checked, Tom and I—well mostly _me_—weren't exactly in his good books, he had been suspicious of us for no reason… _now_ he'd be perfectly in his right to be suspicious, though I didn't fancy updating him.

"Yeah," Tom grinned back, "it happened like overnight."

Jacob looked pensive for a second. "Hmm, that's weird," he said, "I guess you guys are just late bloomers, it's cool though, now you're almost as good-looking as the rest of us."

_Did he just call us good-looking? What did he have for breakfast…?_

Renesmee simply stood there, indifferent to our announced 'good-lookingness,' smiling and agreeing in all the right places; her perfect behavior was impressive. _I_, on the other hand, was having trouble just not looking at her, but luckily Jacob was in too enthusiastic a mood to notice…I would have to take a note or two from her.

"I might seriously consider letting you guys hunt—" Jacob was saying. Tom looked hopeful.

_Uh oh, so much for being in wolf form as little as possible…_

"—but we'll see. I think another head taller would suffice," he finished. If Tom had been in wolf form I'm sure his tail would've gone in between his legs.

_Good, hopefully we don't grow anymore for a long while…_

"Alright, we'll see you guys later, come on, Ness," he said, scooping Renesmee up onto his back and turning away from us. Renesmee laughed with an 'Oh Jake' and latched herself securely onto his naked, broad shoulders.

My eyes could've shot out fire; my hands balled up into fists and I could feel my body shaking. I would've phased right there, in front of the seventy or so departing students, in front of the imprinted werewolf that carried the golden fleece on his stupid, muscular back, in front of the girl that had just carried out an encore worthy performance in order to keep what was _ours_ safe. I felt Tom's heavy hand on my shoulder, telling me without words to calm the hell down…but then Renesmee shot me a lightning quick glance that said 'I'll miss you,'…and that made all the difference in the world.

My shoulders relaxed and I watched sadly as my more than worthy adversary took off with the amazing girl that was rightfully his.

************************Nessie************************************

It hurt to see Oliver so pained, but for some reason I didn't find it in me to make up some excuse to stay with him. It would've been simple: '_Jake, I'll meet you at home later. The twins and I have to work on a project that's due tomorrow_,' or '_I'll catch up with you later Jake, Tom and Oliver invited me over to meet their folks_,"—with the way Jake was acting, heck I could've told him just about anything and he would've let me…but I didn't. I found that, although I wanted dearly to spend some quality time with Oliver, I also wanted to be with Jake…I don't know, perhaps his over excited frame of mind was just that much more invigorating. I could feel my heart rise with his mere laughter.

It baffled me; I mean, I _usually_ always had a great time with Jake, but I also knew that he was someone I could always go home to, someone that would always be waiting for me in the wing; surely he would've waited for me had I decided to postpone going home right away.

We rode swiftly through the woods. I could feel the heat emanating from his bare back, more so than usual. _How strange_, I thought, _it's winter and he's practically burning…it's a good thing I'm immune to it…_though I was perspiring a bit nonetheless.

"Jake," I asked in his ear, "why are you so hot?"

He whipped his head around while still managing to avoid running into any trees. "You think I'm hot, eh?" he grinned and wiggled his eyebrows at me.

I don't know why, but for the first time ever, I blushed at what my best friend had said, my heart taking off with it.

*******************************Jasper******************************

I let out a small 'oh' of surprise when the two figures neared the house. Since the morning I'd sensed Jacob's exceedingly joyous emotions. Nessie's had been somewhat scattered, confusion being the strongest, but now…

She was feeling—I hope Edward isn't paying attention—somewhat _aroused_?

I focused more intently, hoping I had misinterpreted the emotion, but no, it was unmistakably there, along with a great deal of confusion, and a little bit of humiliation. I shuddered to think what Edward would do if he realized his daughter was feeling—I frowned—'stirred;' it seemed like a safer adjective.

As they came within twenty yards of the house, I focused on Nessie's emotions, willing her to relax and be content—though making her sad seemed like it might do the trick also, anything to get _that_ insalubrious feeling out of her head—; it worked. Her flustered face returned to its normal color, paling white, and her downturned eyebrows smoothened out. She slid off of Jacob's back easily, running inside with a quick 'Hi, Jasper, hi, Alice' come our way. I smiled at her and continued doing what I'd come out to do, massage Alice's temple.

"That was really nice of you, Jasper," she said quietly, "I saw you change someone's emotions of," she laughed softly, "_arousal_. I couldn't see who so I figured it was either Jacob or Nessie." She turned to face me. "Either way, you saved them from Edward and Bella's wrath…," she paused, fearing the worst, "who was it, just curious?"

I smiled down at my beautiful pixie, though when I spoke I knew I was justifying her suspicion. "Nessie."

Alice sighed. "Better start thinking of something else. Edward is on his way."

***************************Rosalie********************************

_That sales guy sure does know what he was talking about; this hair product makes me look even more ravishing, if that's even possible…_

A sudden voice made me look up. She looked at me with a question in her eyes. "Hello, sweetheart," I turned to my darling niece, "did you need something?"

Nessie came over to sit on my bed while I continued to brush my hair. "Yes," she paused, "but you have to promise not to say anything, please? Especially to Jacob," her eyes glanced nervously towards the door. For a moment, I feared she was about to reveal her necessity to be with the revolting dog, but then she added, "you see, it's about a boy, and the boy made me promise not to tell him. He seemed kind of scared actually," she giggled, continuing as an afterthought, "I can't see why Jacob would mind, though, I can tell him anything."

_Oh I can see why he'd mind_, I thought, but of course didn't say anything. "Sure thing, Nessie," I said, taking a seat next to her, "what about this _boy_?"

She blushed, looking down. "Well, we kind of um," her voice trailed off, but I heard her anyway, "kissed, and—"

"Oh Nessie!" I yelped, hugging her, more ecstatic of the fact that it hadn't been with Jacob. "How was it? Did you guys do anything else?" then, "Wait, you _didn't_ do anything else, right?"

Nessie looked uncomfortable, going from light pink to crimson red. "No, no," she assured me, "it was just a kiss…but I really like him, and I was wondering if, with Christmas around the corner, you could help me figure out what I could get him?"

I grinned at her, smug of the fact that she'd come to me and not anyone else…though in the back of my mind I wondered if she'd affiliated her decision with the fact that I was a genius with cars…maybe the boy liked cars?

"I understand if you can't, I know you're busy with your," she paused, eyeing the assortment of products I'd purchased recently, "_stuff_, but mom and Alice are both currently," again the blush, "_busy_."

_Well, so much for me being the first choice_, but I nodded anyway, anything to please my adorable niece.

"I'd be more than glad to help," I told her, hugging her to me, "but you're going to have to tell me all about this boy of yours."

Nessie smiled, a far away look coming into her eye. She turned to me, "Of course, Rosalie, I think I came to just the right person."

I smirked. "Of course you did."

****************************Carlisle*************************************

Jacob came into the kitchen, sniffing the air graciously, at the same time Nessie came down from Rosalie and Emmet's room. He'd just got back from 'hanging' with Seth and Leah. I'd expected him to stay with Nessie, but he just seemed so happy today I didn't think anything of it. They both sat down and gulped down the food Esme had prepared for them. I watched with curiosity.

There was something different about Nessie. She didn't look any different from yesterday—yesterday being the beginning of another growth spurt—and yet I could see it in her eyes…she looked at Jacob with a mixture of seeing her best friend, and something she couldn't quite figure out. We all, of course, knew what this 'something' was, but it just seemed inappropriate that she be seeing it so soon; she was barely going to be thirteen, after all. I turned my gaze onto Jacob.

He was all laughs and barks, seeming even oblivious to Nessie's bewilderment. Anyone who didn't know her would've missed it completely, Nessie being quite the master of camouflage, but Jacob knew her probably more than anyone else, even myself…and yet…he just seemed to be happy with the fact that she needed him.

Edward had filled me in on their little late night rendezvous. _How extraordinary_, I wondered, then again there _was_ Oliver to consider. Jacob suddenly looked at me.

"Hey, Carlisle," he said, "so I was thinking, for Christmas, maybe we can invite my younger brothers to join the celebration. They're such good friends of Nessie's, I think it'd be nice for her, what do you think Nessie?" Before he turned to her I noticed a flicker of panic pass through her eyes, but she quickly regained composure before Jacob noticed.

"Yeah," she swallowed the steak bit she'd been chewing on, "that would be awesome."

I smiled at her, "Well then it's settled. I'll make sure to let Alice know, we'll be accommodating two more guests."

Nessie suddenly got up, her façade fading. "I think I'm going to go to sleep," she yawned—though I could see it was part of the charade—"goodnight."

She kissed me and Esme on the cheek, saving her imprinted Jacob for last. "Night, Jake." She hugged him, he kissed her on the forehead.

Jacob finished the rest of the meal by himself, while I gaped in surprise at where Nessie'd disappeared.

I hadn't missed the blush that crept onto her face whilst she bade goodnight to Jacob…_Oh dear, this could get complicated…_

***

Ok, I know this chapter was a bit eh, but next is Christmas day and everyone's going to be in the same place finally! Also, a vision that will turn things around completely for a certain individual will finally take place—though this might happen within the next three chapters. Please review, I need something to feel obligated about updating sooner. I'm trying to type out two chapters at a time, but if I see that people are getting disinterested (i.e. no reviews), I might prolong submitting the chapters immediately. Just keep doing what you're doing, your reviews mean the world to me, thanks!


	23. High Heels

Thanks to all my reviewers, again, you keep me motivated so don't hesitate to review, even if its telling me how horrible my story is, let me know! I can better steer this ship if you all make sure everything's knotted down in the right place! Here's the next chapter, enjoy!

Again, Stephanie Meyer's work is legend so I obviously don't own it, but I do own the plot and some new characters in this story.

*****************************Nessie************************************

Today was Christmas Eve; I wish it were already New Years…Jake had invited Tom and Oliver over, and, as much as I wanted to see my friends—one more than the other—I had a feeling it was going to be an uncomfortable evening.

Oliver and I had agreed; no messing around—which pretty much just meant kissing—especially around Jake, which was something I wanted to talk to him about. Jake was my best friend, if anyone deserved to know about my first kiss, it should be him, and besides, I didn't see why Oliver and I had to sneak around just because of one person, it didn't make any sense. I was hoping to get Oliver alone sometime tonight and ask him, hopefully I had the chance; it was nearly impossible to get privacy around my family.

I waited impatiently as Alice continued to rummage through my closet. She was positive I had absolutely _nothing_ to wear, meaning the five hundred or so outfits may as well have been invisible.

I could hear Jake's heartbeat downstairs; it's weird, I'd always been attuned to it, I suppose, but these past few days I swear it's gotten louder.

Jake was in charge of keeping the wolves out until the celebration started—which wasn't for another two hours or so—and with Esme and my mom cooking, it was no easy feat. Of the pack, Seth, Leah, Quil, Embry, and of course Tom and Oliver, would all be here. I was pleasantly surprised when my other grandpa, Charlie, decided to come after all as well. I hadn't seen him in quite a while, I think something about my being over double the age I was two years ago kind of freaked him out. Carlisle had asked Billy to come over, but he'd politely declined; I think he still felt uncomfortable being around a coven of vampires. I felt bad for him, especially considering his current health condition, it would've done him good to spend some time with people…well, _sort of people_ anyway.

Aside from all of the guests, my family—which of course included Jake—would also be here. One big, happy, get-together, how _exciting_…

I still couldn't get the troubled thoughts out of my head, regarding both Jake and Oliver. Oliver wasn't too difficult, I just simply needed to find out why it was he insisted on Jake's ignorance towards us…Jake on the other hand…I still couldn't place it, we were like we'd always been, but not only did Jake seem happier, more at ease with me; I was noticing the slightest things about _him_…like, for instance, yesterday I noticed our heartbeats were in perfect sync, and the night before that, Jake had said something about his shoulders being sore from his last hunt, and I'd found myself momentarily fascinated with his ridiculously broad-shouldered physique…

It was weird.

Suddenly Alice poked her head out, an evil gleam on her small face. She came forward and held out the article of clothing in her hand, along with a pair of shoes I'd never seen before.

I stared at them, then at Alice. Did she really expect me to prance around in _that_?

"You better believe it," she said, "my niece is going to be the most beautiful half-human half-vampire tonight."

I groaned of course.

*************************Jake*************************************

Nessie was starting to feel it, I just knew it! I'd caught her staring at me with a sort of fascinated look in her eyes, confused for the most part, but hey, I'll take it as a start.

I was considering giving a direct order to the pack; I'd already caught Seth and Quil raiding the fridge for appetizers _twice_, not that I blamed them; the food smelled incredibly delicious, and if there was one thing we wolves loved besides our imprint, it was food.

We were playing a game of football to waste time; I had told them the party wasn't for another couple of hours, but I guess—again, remember we can't resist our second love—the food just called out to them. We had about an hour left; it was me, Leah, and Tom, against Seth, Quil, Embry, and Oliver. So far, with my strength and Leah's speed, we were winning, though it could've also been due to the other's team sudden lack of players—_ahem_, Seth and Quil, aka fridge raiders.

"You guys can come in now if you'd like," Esme suddenly called out. And just like that, game over. We fought each other to get to the appetizers; unfortunately I was near the end. Esme laughed, "Don't worry, there's plenty for everyone." I grinned at her in thanks. Light tapping against the hardwood floor suddenly caught my attention; it was a slightly uneven sound, as if the person making the sound was a bit hesitant about something. I immediately thought of high heels, my sister Rachel'd worn them enough around the house when she was preparing to go to college—she'd been convinced college girls all wore heels…walking all day across a huge campus? Of course she'd been wrong—but the only person that wore heels on a regular basis here was Barbie, and as much as I hated to admit it, she had 'the walk' down to perfection. I instinctively looked towards Nessie's room; it was slightly ajar, Alice seemed to be beckoning someone forward, Nessie no doubt. I looked at Alice's feet…no, she had on flats.

And then _she_ came out...and the world around me vanished.

Nessie looked nervous as she sidled out the door in high, black, open-toed high heels, but that was the last thing I'd noticed with the way she looked right now.

Alice had dressed her in a semi formal not-too-short, not-too-long, burgundy one strap gown that hugged her slim but curvy figure pleasingly, her hair hung in curls in an elegant pony tail along the right side of her face, and her chocolate brown eyes complemented well against the light makeup that adorned her already beautiful features. I could see the way she faltered ever so slightly with each step she took, having never worn high heels in her life, and the way she constantly brushed away a stray curl from her brow. On her way down the stairs she looked at no one, simply focused on hiding her inherited clumsiness, however slight, and a trickle of sweat was already forming along the side of her left cheek, revealing to the world how nervous she was.

She was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on.

I stared in my sudden stupor, ignoring the 'Jake, watch your thoughts' look that came from Alice. Nessie was breathtaking, a young woman on her way to absolute perfection, if that was even possible considering the goddess that already stood before me. I could only gape in wonder, feeling my own face flush as she finally made it to ground level and looked at me.

"What do you think?" she asked, mock disgust on her porcelain face, but of course I just stared with my mouth open, my eyes raking her up and down while somewhere in the depths of my brain a little voice shrieked for me to get it together before something bad happened.

Nessie suddenly blushed, catching sight of my probing eyes. "Jake," she said softly, this time with a shy smile, "you're staring."

Another figure came into view, positioning herself alongside my angel, and I recognized the protruding bosom that most men would probably die for in a second; it was enough for me to snap out of it.

"So," said Barbie, "what do you think of our twelve year old Nessie, dog?" she asked me, with a hint of triumph.

I smiled sweetly at her. "I think she looks _absolutely_ beautiful, even more so than yourself, your highness," I said. Rosalie's eyes flashed; Nessie giggled. Luckily for me Emmet came over just in time and steered her away to a 'disgusting mongrel free zone.'…which left me alone with Nessie.

She looked at me with the most curious smile. "You really think I'm more beautiful than Rose?" she asked. I held out my arm for her to take.

"By more than you could ever imagine, Ness," I said. She smiled at me affectionately, and allowed me to escort her to the dining room.

I don't even know how my feet managed to stay on the ground; Nessie may not know exactly what was happening to her, but I did…she was finally falling into the fairy tale I'd been creating for us since the day she was born.

***

So, how's that for part one of Christmas Eve? I hope you liked it, this is just the beginning of quite an interesting evening, but of course I need you all to review, review, review! Please? It won't take more than a couple of minutes…well, let me know what you think, and I'll be more than happy to update sooner, thanks!


	24. Always Protected

Alright, I'm doing my best to dish out the Christmas chapters, but I really am getting closer to finals…Sorry guys, I'll do my best. Anyway, thank you to all my reviewers! Here's chapter twenty four, enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new faces in this story.

*************************Oliver****************************************

I was in heaven. To think all this time we'd known Renesmee and she hadn't once told us of her grandmothers and mother's superb cooking! I didn't even know the bloodsuckers knew how to cook!

"Renesmee needs to eat _human _food as well, you know," a soft voice spoke behind me. I turned in surprise, my mouth still stuffed with lord knows what. I stared for the first time into Edward's Cullen somewhat amused face.

I gulped what I'd been chewing on—mmm, I tasted cheese, chicken, fried mushrooms—and looked at Renesmee's father in surprise…_How did he know_…then I remembered.

He could read minds.

I stupidly thought of 'not thinking' about Renesmee, which of course only brought her to mind anyway. _Oh man_, I thought nervously, _so much for making a good impression with dad…_

Edward chuckled. "Relax," he said, "it's not you I'm worried about," then added, his face going stern, "though that doesn't exclude you from my list." I smiled nervously at him

_Nice to meet you too_…then, _crap, he can still hear me…_

Edward raised an eyebrow at me, quite entertained with my idiocy, no doubt; then he suddenly looked up expectantly. I followed his gaze and didn't see anything, well, besides the five 'starving' wolves. I looked back at Edward; he was no longer amused, if I didn't know any better, I'd say he was upset about something.

And then I saw _them_.

They walked in together, arm in arm, looking painfully like _the _couple; Renesmee, looking excruciatingly stunning in an original Alice-design, blushing deliciously and smiling appreciatively at the muffled compliments aimed her way; but that wasn't what caused my temperature to rise substantially, and a growl to escape my throat.

_He_ was the complementing individual, their arms intertwined loosely as though they'd been doing so for years. He glanced continuously at Renesmee, hardly aware of anything or anyone else in the room. I could see how his eyes melted in her presence, his usual tough guy attitude replaced by an obedient puppy, all he saw was the girl linked onto his arm, the only girl that ever existed…

I could feel my body shaking with anger, jealousy, and hate, an undeserving hatred towards the man not twenty feet away from me, easily reached. I would destroy him, tear him piece by piece, and I would savor the unraveling of Jacob Black, I would—

"Calm down, Oliver," Edward said, loud enough for only me to hear, "it's not what you think." I looked at him.

_Surely he didn't think I was that stupid? They were practically holding hands!_

"Sometimes I forget how young and gullible you wolves are," he muttered, before leaning in closer and saying, "have you forgotten that Jacob is Nessie's _best_ friend?"

I blinked. _Yeah, so?_

"So there's nothing wrong with two friends escorting each other to dinner," he said, "a dinner set up for more than two people, I might add."

_What's your point?_

Edward sighed, "Nessie doesn't see Jacob _that_ way," then added a bit more tightly, "you know, the way you so vividly showed my daughter you felt."

I blushed, realizing he knew all the details of my kiss with Renesmee. _Sorry about that…_

Edward continued, "Yeah, well, better a boy her age than an imprinted wolf aiming for eternity."

I tried figuring out what he meant by that, but came up with nothing. _These vampire dudes think they're so smart_…Renesmee had finally unlatched herself from Jacob's arm, and made her way over to us. I stood up as she approached.

"Hi, daddy," she said, raising herself slightly to peck her father on the cheek. I noticed she was wearing high heels, they made her legs look _irresistibly_ tempting…Edward shot me a dangerous look.

_Right, right, I forgot, sorry._

He kissed his daughter on the forehead. "You look lovely, Nessie," he said, then went over to join his wife—who I suddenly realized had been observing us the entire time.

Hi, Oliver," she looked nervous, and the blush she'd walked in with grew darker.

_Ha, good_.

I took her hand in my own and kissed it—_I bet Jacob hadn't thought of something that chivalrous!_

"Hello, Renesmee," I smiled at her. I could feel her pulse quicken. "Alice really outdid herself," I continued sweeping my arm across her tantalizing figure, "you look totally awesome."

She rolled her eyes at me, though I could see the approval of my words in her smile.

"You kids hungry," Esme came up behind us. My thoughts suddenly returned to the glorious food waiting to be eaten. "I'm going to start putting out the entrees on the counter, buffet style. Oh and Nessie, Charlie just arrived."

_Charlie_?

"Who's Charlie?" I turned to Renesmee.

"My _human _grandpa, come on," she said, motioning for me to follow her into the living room.

Renesmee's brown eyes stared momentarily at me through the crinkled face of Charlie Swan. Oh, _that_ Charlie! I thought, then…_wait, her grandfather was the police chief?!_

I couldn't believe my luck, not only did this girl have a coven of vampires and an imprinted wolf out to protect her, she also the head of police as her grandfather!

Nessie threw herself at Chief Swan. "Grandpa!" she squealed, "I've missed you so much!" Charlie hugged his granddaughter close to his chest, dabbing pointlessly at his suddenly watery eyes. It was an odd sight, I'd never seen him look so…_vulnerable_.

"Nessie," he whispered, then coughed and repeated, "Nessie, gosh you're so big!" He pulled back just enough to get a good look at her. "And you're even prettier than before, now how'd that happen!"

"Well," replied Renesmee, her eyes glistening with tears as well, "you haven't been here in so long."

Charlie looked ashamed. "Yeah, well, you know how Sue is," he mumbled, "doesn't seem to like being around all them folk around here…but I see it was a mistake to stay away so long. Will you forgive your old grandpa?"

"Of course!" she said, kissing his face like a little girl all over again.

Renesmee looked at him adoringly; she obviously loved him very much. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed her parents watching the scene; Bella looked similar to Renesmee, with the exception of dry eyes. I suddenly felt uncomfortable being in the midst of this tender family moment, and was about to go back to the food when—

"Grandpa," Renesmee said, motioning for me to step forward, "this is Oliver, a friend from school, he's a twin…though I think Tom's still stuffing his face," she giggled.

Charlie Swan held out his hand, and for a moment I simply stared at it; then hastily put out my hand to shake his. "Pleasure is all mine, Chief Swan."

Renesmee rolled her eyes. "He's not Chief Swan here, just Charlie." Charlie just smiled but didn't say anything. He smiled at someone behind me, a more welcoming smile on his face than the one I'd received.

"Hey," he called out, brushing past me, "you old dog, how've you been?"

I had a feeling I knew who he was talking to and sustained another growl as Jacob came stalking in to greet Charlie. They 'man-hugged' and made their way into the next room—which was where the food was conveniently located—and talked eagerly, like old war buddies. _Great_, I thought, _he's even in his good books_…

I felt a tingle in my left hand and saw Renesmee beckoning me to follow her, away from the crowd. My face lit up; maybe Jacob got along with Charlie, but I was the one sneaking away with the pretty girl.

Again, I completely forgot that I was being monitored carefully by Edward, so when we brushed by I almost jumped back when a cold and unbelievably strong hand reached out and grabbed my arm.

"Don't you dare get any ideas, young man," he said to me softly, then smiled at his now flustered daughter, "same goes for you young lady."

"Y—yes sir," I stammered, taking a step back. Bella giggled and pulled Edward away from us. I watched the pair walk away, knowing my thoughts were being supervised nonetheless.

"Well," said Renesmee, "are you coming or not?"

I grinned eagerly. "Anytime, anywhere."

******************************Edward*******************************

I hadn't considered that Oliver would be so infatuated with Nessie, and so now there were two wolves I would have to watch carefully. Bella insisted Oliver was nothing more than a silly crush; she also pointed out that with Jacob here, he wouldn't dare mess around with our daughter in _that_ way…I decided to keep an extra eye on him anyway.

Nessie was taking him to one of the side porches. She planned on asking straight out what exactly their relationship—she and Oliver—was. She also wanted to know the reason behind keeping Jacob in the dark about their relationship. I already knew Oliver would avoid telling Nessie about the imprinting business at all costs, but I was anxious nonetheless with what he _would _tell her in place of the truth. If the boy didn't convince Nessie, he may well reveal more then he realized…I would be ready with a distraction should he slip in his explanation; Nessie knowing the truth was not an option, not yet anyway.

I felt a sudden shock on the nape of my neck, and turned my head slightly downward towards my breathtaking wife. Bella looked at me mischievously, removing her shield so I could read her thoughts.

I groaned, _how could she be doing this to me right now?_

"Darling," I said to her, so only she could hear, "we really shouldn't do _that_ right now. I have some wolves to mind." She looked at me through her golden eyes, pouting in mock hurt and arching her neck so that I could see more directly down the bodice of her simple gown…I immediately hungered for the never-ending thirst that was our passion, my heart, my loins, my mind and my inconceivable lust, all aching to oblige her, she was right after all, the cottage wasn't too far away, nobody would notice our absence, it would take us no more than fifteen minutes…

Then Oliver slipped. I snapped my head up so quick Bella would've toppled over if it hadn't been for her vampiric reflexes.

"Nessie." Was all I said, and the two of us sprinted towards our sobbing daughter.

***

Ugh, I know, this is a nasty cliffhanger, but I told you Christmas was going to be interesting, hehe. Anyway, let me know what you think, like always, and I really do mean that…the reviews are slowing down substantially and I'm wondering whether I'm losing the 'ooh' factor in my story that has people not bothering to review…? Idk, you tell me…ok, so again, REVIEW and I'll just have to update all the sooner, thanks.


	25. Vision

So sorry about not updating sooner, but as I said, finals are the priority. Nonetheless, thank you to those who have reviewed; knowing you guys are still enjoying is what's keeping me updating, and trust me, I'm finding little time pockets here and there to do so lol, so make sure you review, please? Otherwise I'll think nobody's really waiting for the next chapter…Well anyway, here's chapter twenty five, I even made it a bit longer, enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new faces.

**********************Oliver*******************************************

I could feel my heart rate quicken as Renesmee guided me away from the celebration and towards a deserted side porch. She let go of my hand while she let down the drapes and closed the sliding door.

We were out of sight and alone.

I could feel other urges starting to kick in and focused on holding them back; I knew Edward would still be listening. Renesmee must know this too…_why was she bringing me out here?_...I mean, don't get me wrong, I would've loved to do _stuff_ but given the circumstances it probably wouldn't be the best idea. She suddenly turned to me.

"Oliver," she said, coming over to stand by me, "there were some things I wanted to ask you."

_Oh_, I thought, _that's what all this was about…_

"First of all," she said, "what exactly are _we_?"

I smiled at her; this was an easy one. "Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to say you were my girlfriend," I said, taking her hand in mine, she blushed, looking at me through shy eyes.

"Ok then," she said, then, "that was the hard one I think."

_The hard one?_

"So," she continued, "now that it's official…" she paused, "are you still going to insist on not telling Jake about it?"

_Uh oh,_ as far as she thought, this was the easy question, a simple yes or no…I gulped.

"Renesmee," I said, thinking how best to explain without revealing anything, "I don't think that would be such a good idea."

She let go of my hand and crossed her arms over her chest—that was the wrong thing to do, my eyes immediately noticed her sudden cleavage, I forced them back up to her face.

"Any why not?" she asked, no longer blushing.

I hesitated…I guess _half_ of the truth would be alright…

"Because I think he might get jealous," I said. _Alright, that's good, its part of the truth, direct and simple…_

"Jealous of what exactly?" her eyes narrowed. I stammered.

"Oh I don't know exactly," I said, avoiding her eyes, "I mean, I know you guys are best friends and all, but…" I racked my brain for something sensible, "let's just say you don't know him as well as you think you do."

I glanced at her eyes and regretted it.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" she asked through gritted teeth.

I faltered as I spoke my next words, "Well, he is a guy, you know, and some guys have… _urges_, you know, some more than others," I paused, watching her reaction, though thus far she seemed at ease, angry still, but not 'angrier." It gave me confidence, so I continued, "Jacob is one of those others, if you know what I mean. Sometimes as a wolf, his thoughts are all about, well you know, _that_ kind of stuff, how he wants to be with a girl, and…stuff?"

Renesmee's eyes were suddenly not 'Renesmee's eyes.' These new eyes blazed with a fire I had never seen before. "So you're saying he's a guy, I know that. What does it have to do with you and me?"

"I just thought, you know, what with him being such a _pervert_—"

"A _what_?!" she suddenly exclaimed. I stepped away from her; for that moment she looked as scary as a vampire.

"So let me guess? You think just because he's my best friend and a guy he's going to get jealous of us because he wants to be getting the action that you already got?!" she hissed at me. I was inwardly grateful that she kept her voice down, though I couldn't say the same about her reaction.

"Not exactly, it's just, well you guys are so close," I was stuttering, "I just didn't want to risk it. Can you imagine how bad he'd kick my—"

"Oh so this is about you?" she said, I could see her eyes starting to glisten, water that coexisted with the raging fire…_Crap, she's going to cry._

"No, Renesmee, listen I—"

"No," she said, now quite in my face and utterly quiet, "_you_ listen. Jake is my best friend. FRIEND! Nothing else. For you to even _think_ he'd want anything to do with me like," she sputtered, "_like that_! You're absolutely unbelievable!" She was pouring by this time, and I felt my whole world falling apart knowing it was my fault.

"And to think I actually _liked_ you," she was saying, her hands balled into fists, "and a lot! I can't believe you, Oliver. You seemed so nice, and caring," she sniffled, "and the worst part is, I _still_ like you!"

I felt my heart give a hopeful flutter, _maybe there was still hope_…

"But," she continued—_oh no, there was a 'but'_—"Jake has been there for me since I was born. If you can't trust him with _us_, then I guess there can't be an _us_."

_No! This wasn't supposed to happen!_

"Renesmee," I pleaded, "please, don't do this. You know we have something here, something amazing," and right there I decided, "I'm sorry about saying that about Jake. Let's tell him, please, I can't lose you before…" I faltered.

Her eyes gleamed. "Before what?" she snapped.

I was desperate, realizing for the first time how much I really did want her, how I needed her. She was by far the best thing that had ever happened to me, and if I blew it now, I would never have a chance to be with her. There were no second chances when an imprint was involved.

"Before you choose someone else," I finished lamely. She looked confused, tears continuing down her delicate face. Even sobbing she was beautiful. She was about to say something when—

"Oliver I think you should go back to the party," a familiar voice said. Edward.

_But I—_

"Now, Oliver," this time it was Bella, she was hugging Renesmee to her, looking at me through narrowed eyes. I knew it would be pointless—and possibly dangerous—to argue, so left with my head bowed, fighting back my own set of tears. I was afraid I had just lost the only girl that could ever make me happy…

***************************Mystery Girl*******************************

"So it is settled then. She will be there by nightfall, today or tomorrow, it won't matter. The girl will have already realized her feelings by then. We will set the bait, and the shape-shifter will have no choice but to fight. Because of the imprint she will do whatever it takes to kill her."

"But," my accomplice asked, "why did you have Jeanine stay away from us? You know the little fortune teller may see this?"

I laughed, "It does not matter. Don't you see? With Jeanine's dome placed protectively over there, the wolves won't be able to help him, otherwise she'd die right away and the girl won't have to fight at all."

He nodded. "Right, so that was the plan all along. I see," he suddenly smiled at me, "you are quite brilliant. Master will reward you greatly."

I smirked at him. "Let's just hope all goes according to plan. Renesmee will not escape this time."

***************************Jacob************************************

I heard it like it was glass breaking in my ear, Renesmee crying. I immediately excused myself with Charlie and made my way towards her. I wasn't sure why she'd be crying at a merry time like now, but I had a bad feeling about it, plus, nobody messes with my Nessie.

I was just about to round the corner into the living room when I bumped into Oliver. He mumbled something incoherent and rushed past me towards who knows where; I didn't care, reaching Nessie and making her feel better was all that mattered.

I knew where it was coming from, the side porch, however, just as I was about to slide open the glass pane door, a cold tiny hand grabbed my shoulder. I turned around, knowing already who it was.

Alice and Jasper stood before me, Alice looking at me with fear in her eyes. "Jacob," she said, "you have to go."

I didn't understand her. _I had to go? But Nessie was crying! I had to comfort her_…I ignored her and made to slide the door open again, but this time a different hand stopped me.

"No, Jacob," Jasper insisted, his mouth in a tight line, "you have to go _now_. Alice had a vision, and if you don't get away now, Nessie could be in danger."

I felt my heart fall into my toes. "But, she's crying—"

Alice nodded her head. "It's fine, Edward is comforting her. She just had a little fight with Oliver."

_Oliver_?

But Alice was already steering me away. "Never mind that Jacob. The decision has been made. They've been protected all this time by someone named Jeanine, though I have yet to figure out how exactly." She nodded her head as I continued to move with a dazed expression. "It doesn't matter now, all that matters is that you get away. I'll explain later. Here," she handed me a phone, "don't make any calls, wait for mine. Get away from Forks, from Seattle. No! Don't tell me where you're going, just go." She pleaded with her eyes, and I finally got the hint: _I had to leave or something bad was going to happen to Nessie_. I felt a lump in my throat.

"Can I even say good bye?" I asked in a small voice, already at the door, though I had a feeling I already knew the answer.

"I'm so sorry Jacob," said Alice, a pained look on her face, "but the less Nessie knows the better. I'll come up with something."

I could feel the tears streaming down my face; just as things had started to look up for us, I had to leave her, I had to leave Nessie, the only reason my heart beat at all.

It hurt like nothing I'd ever felt before, and I remembered Edward, the burning man. I took the phone from Alice and nodded, then turned away from the 'happy' celebration and into the dark forest.

***********************Edward*******************************

My heart ached with the desolate expressions painted on the two women in my life. Nessie was heartbroken, as young and harmless as their relationship had seemed, it was still complete pain for her fragile and virgin mind. She shook in Bella's arms; Bella looked just as pained, but for different reasons. For her only daughter to be so hurt with the simple implication that Jacob was a pervert…it could only mean one thing…Nessie really was starting to fall for Jacob; she wasn't aware of it, though I had seen the connections being made whilst she thought.

_Jacob being her best friend…Jacob having 'urges'…Jacob being jealous…Jacob wanting her, Nessie, in that way…_

I knew that even though she could never believe her best friend thought of her that way, deep down she already suspected it, her own mixed up feelings being one of the causes. Oliver had brought out these suspicions into a blurry light, despite his intentions of keeping the truth hidden; he'd tried to display Jacob as some kind of creepy sex-driven male, never considering that Nessie wasn't capable of seeing Jacob that way, not her Jacob.

But now that the idea was out, that Jacob might've been jealous because he saw Nessie like that…

It made sense to everything, and despite her unwillingness to believe it, Nessie was a bit afraid, afraid that what Oliver had said was true, afraid that whatever it was she had with Jake could get completely messed up, all because of confused allegations and feelings…

And if that wasn't bad enough, Nessie still had very strong feelings for Oliver, and this surprised me the most. She was already convincing herself, whilst crying in Bella's arms, that they'd just had their first argument, that she should go and apologize right away, that even though his accusation held no merit, she would go along with not telling Jake anything, as long as she could still feel the way only Oliver made her feel…

She reminded me so much of Bella, always blaming herself, trying to do the right thing to make someone else feel better…what would she do when she found out the truth about Jacob? Surely things would work out? I went over to take my sobbing daughter from Bella; Nessie curled into my arms, her sobs finally subsiding. She sent me her thoughts despite my being able to read them, confiding in me openly.

_Daddy, is it true? What Oliver said? Does Jake really feel like that?_

I didn't know what to say to her. She was barely going to be thirteen, she was too young…

"I don't know, Nessie," I said slowly, "that's something only Jacob can tell you." I hoped with all that I was that Jacob would do the right thing should she ask.

She nodded in understanding. _Daddy…is Oliver mad at me?_

I sighed and smiled at the same time. "No, sweetie, he's actually very sad. He thinks he's blown it completely with you."

She looked hopeful, her thoughts going immediately to Oliver, to find him and make up. I was a bit disappointed, I have to admit; then again, I suppose being the daughter of Bella and myself, it made sense for her to be selfless yet impulsive. She looked up at me expectantly, waiting for some kind of response.

I hugged her close to me, before pulling her back. "He's out front on the porch."

She smiled a dazzling smile and hugged me harder. _Thank you for understanding daddy, I know it's stupid…but I like him._

I smiled after her retreating figure and looked over at Bella, remembering my own stupidity of being in love with a human…I knew exactly what she meant.

All of a sudden it hit me, the plan and the implications it held for Nessie, for Jacob, for all of us…and I turned immediately towards Alice who had just come through the door.

***

I know, I know, another cliffhanger, I'm sorry, but it happens. This is the beginning of the major conflict (besides Nessie's love triangle) with the 'mystery people.' I will do my best to update as soon as I can. Thank you to all my reviewers, you guys keep me going! More reviews would be nice though…lol, thanks.


	26. Good News, Bad News

So I've hardly received any reviews…I suppose I should just wait entirely till finals are over then (about two more weeks); I really want to continue updating but if the majority don't think much—or at least tell me you don't like what's going on—then there's no reason to rush into updating now…Thanks to those of you who continue to update, the handful of you keep me feeling obligated to finish the story, so I promise I will finish it nonetheless, you guys are the best! Here's chapter twenty six, enjoy!

Again, none of Stephanie Meyer's work is mine, solely the plot and some new characters.

************************Edward********************************

I gaped in horror at Alice. How could we have missed such a plan? And who was behind it? Bella looked at me with a mixture of worry and agitation.

"Bella," Alice said carefully, the same fear very visible in her eyes, "I had a vision about Renesmee."

That got Bella's attention. Her eyes went wide and she glanced frantically at me. "Oh no, the Volturi!" she exclaimed.

"Actually, Bella," I corrected, "the only one Alice saw was Jane. She's been keeping a close eye on Aro, Marcus and Caius and nothing out of the ordinary has happened."

Bella looked confused. "But," she started, "isn't Jane part of the Volturi's guard? Surely that has to mean something…?"

Alice nodded her head. "I know, but it doesn't make sense. If Jane was on special orders it would've have to come from someone, and the Volturi have not decided anything regarding us. To be honest the most interesting thing I've seen them decide was to finally change that human secretary of theirs."

Bella nodded, obviously remembering the day we'd passed by the knowing human girl whose fate lied within the Volturi's power.

"The only thing Alice has seen regarding us is that they know we're a potential threat, but that's something we've known for quite some time already," I said.

Bella looked thoughtful, then looked at Alice. "What _exactly_ did you see?" she asked.

A faraway look came into her eyes as Alice repeated her vision. "Jane was speaking to someone; I couldn't exactly see who, the vision just sort of singled her out. I have a pretty good guess it was her brother, however, but that's not important. They were talking about some plan, a plan that's been set up completely out of my sight—"

"But how is that possible!?" interrupted Bella, a sort of frenzy creeping into her usual calm demeanor.

I went over and placed my arms around her. "Just wait a moment, Bella, there's more." I could feel her arms slump slightly under mine, though nothing close to lacking tension.

Alice continued, "The plan itself is a trap for Nessie. The basics go something like this: Nessie's imprint, Jacob, would be put in some kind of danger. Jane mentioned sending some kind of bait, so I'm guessing whoever it is they're sending is someone worth getting into problems over."

"Wait, what do you mean 'problems over'? If it's a vampire, no problem, Jacob isn't brand new at killing vampires," Bella said, frowning whilst Alice shook her head.

"That's not the point, Bella. They only want to put him in danger to get to Nessie. One of the last things Jane said was '_Because of the imprint she will do whatever it takes to kill her.'_"

Bella looked whiter—if that was even possible for a vampire—and held onto my arms. It chilled my spine to see my incredibly strong wife suddenly clinging to me as if her legs would give out.

"So they're going to incriminate Renesmee," she finished lamely. It was indeed the perfect plan. If Renesmee was implicated for something serious, she would be summoned to the Volturi, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what they would do to her then; whoever was behind knew that if Renesmee was going to be in such a predicament, we, her family, would be one hundred percent behind her…This wasn't just a plan to get Renesmee, it was a plan after all of us.

Bella suddenly looked up at me hopefully, "but the wolves! We should tell them, together they can surely finish off one piece of bait, one vamp—"

Alice nodded sadly. "There's one more thing…Jane also mentioned a girl named Jeanine…she said Jeanine would place her 'dome' here so that the wolves wouldn't be able to get involved…I could be wrong, but I think perhaps this Jeanine girl has some kind of shield gift like you, Bella, only, I don't know, somewhat different…"

Bella shook her head, not wanting to believe anything. "When?" was all she said.

Alice looked at me grimly. I answered for her. "Well, Jane said...tonight, or tomorrow."

Bella reeled around to face me. "We need to get the wolves together, and the rest of our family, we'll keep Nessie and Jacob here in our sight, we'll—what? _What now_?" she asked furiously, eyeing the silent conversation passing between Alice's eyes and mine.

"Bella," I spoke carefully, "I think, and Alice agrees, that perhaps it might not be so soon. Alice hasn't been able to see any of this plan's activity for a reason, and it just seems like too much of a coincidence that we saw the final outcome of it, almost as if—"

"They wanted us to see." Bella finished. "So...we do nothing? Just wait here till Jacob gets in trouble and Nessie goes out and kills someone?"

"Well," I finally managed a smile in my panicked wife's direction, "Alice just sent Jacob away, and if he isn't around, at least until we can figure out more of what we're dealing with, Nessie should be safe for the time being."

Bella looked at Alice. "You sent Jake away? Where to?"

Alice gave her a small smile. "I don't know, I told him to just go, that it was for Nessie's safety." We all knew what this meant; Alice couldn't see Jacob, and so as long as Jacob didn't actually tell us where he was, there would be no way of locating him.

He would be completely lost to us. And if this Jeanine character really did have some kind of shield that could bar out the wolves thoughts from each other…there was no way of knowing anything for sure really. We would need to consult with each other, the rest of the family, to get to any conclusions.

I was grateful to Alice. Surely it had been a hard thing to do, to simply separate Jacob from the only person that really mattered to him in this world. It had to do with her safety, so of course he'd left, I couldn't even hear his thoughts anymore; he must be pretty far already. Bella's thoughts came flying into my mind.

I sighed. "We'll tell her about his departure after tonight. I think just the fact that Jacob left without saying goodbye…is going to _torture_ her. She's with Oliver right now," I grimaced, "they're _making up_…but I guess the distraction is a good thing, for now anyway…it's going to be hard on her when she realizes Jacob's gone…at least for the time being."

Alice nodded in agreement. Though much of what we now knew didn't make sense, it _did_ make absolute sense that Alice seeing this vision was too much of a coincidence. They would expect us to have some kind of defense up, the wolves included…so it made sense to do the exact opposite, for now at least, and with Jacob out of the picture…well, it might bide us some time to figure things out.

We would have to continue the night as if nothing had happened, and make sure to keep Nessie within sight. I looked at Bella, and she nodded, understanding without words what I was asking her.

"I guess we should return to the party then," said Bella. She took my hand and we followed Alice into the crowded room of happy partygoers. As we passed the front door I caught a glimpse of Nessie's face.

She looked happy, and somewhat infatuated. Oliver was gazing at her dreamily, his thoughts reflecting how quickly he'd forgotten her mind reading father. For a second I almost went out there to remind him, but I stopped.

Once Nessie found out about Jacob's leaving…I feared perhaps Bella's teasing hopes of stalling Nessie's growth with unhappiness might come true.

************************Oliver**********************************

I sat on the bottom step, sobbing like the pathetic, scrawny, no good, little wolf that I was. A sudden flash made me look up, surprised, and my thoughts of self pity were momentarily forgotten.

Where was Jacob running off to?

I got up, curiosity getting the better of me. I was already lost to Renesmee, following Jacob might prove to be just the distraction I needed from my dismal mindset. However, just as I made to take off my shirt to phase, I smelled her.

_Renesmee_.

She came over to me, shyly, and sat down next to me, though far enough so that we didn't touch at all. It only made me sadder.

"Hi," she said quietly. I looked at her through my red rimmed eyes. _Great, now she's going to think I'm a crybaby…_

"Hey."

We both sat quietly for a second, the rapid beating of our hearts echoing to an uncomfortable tempo. I felt horrible. I had made the girl of my dreams cry, and now here she was, sitting next to me, probably waiting for me to apologize…but instead, I was simply feeling sorry for myself. I was very aware how even after our quarrel I could still feel the accented electricity sparking between our bodies. I hated how stupid I was for even letting there be a quarrel. _I was such an idiot_! Of course she would've reacted like that, Jacob was her best friend, what was I thinking?!… then—

"I'm sorry for—"

We both faltered, looking at each other finally, brown with black. _What was she sorry for? _

"Renesmee," I said, before she could try to apologize for no reason, "don't be sorry for anything. _I'm_ sorry for saying all those horrible things to you…the truth is…I guess I'm a little jealous of Jacob myself, and I thought if he knew about, well what _could've_ been _us_, he might not share his best friend as much as I'd like to have you."

I sighed inwardly. _Why hadn't I said something like that before?_ It avoided the whole imprinting issue and, more importantly, it didn't make Renesmee cry…

Renesmee looked at me, studiously. "Why didn't you just tell me that in the first place?"

_My point exactly…_

"I don't know," I said, looking down ashamed, "I guess maybe I didn't want you to know how selfish I was…but I guess you do now."

I looked away from her. Now she had something else negative about me to add to her list…

"I don't think that's selfish," she said quietly. I glanced at her, and was surprised to see the same blush I'd grown so accustomed to suddenly flush her face. I'd thought I'd lost all chances of ever seeing it again.

"True, it is kind of _stupid_, for you to be jealous of Jake's time with me," she said matter-of-factly, "but you must realize, Oliver," and now she looked directly into my eyes, "I will _always_ love Jake, and even if I did start spending more time away from him...it wouldn't change anything, I bet you anything he'd even beg me to hang out with you if it meant me being happy…" she paused for a moment, as if realizing something for the first time, "to be honest, sometimes I feel like Jake was put here for that sole reason, to make me happy…so you see, it doesn't matter how much time we spend together…"

I looked at her incredulously. She had just said it, the reason why Jacob existed: _to make her happy_…and yet, she was still oblivious to the fact that one day she might fall in love with him…I gulped, if she was telling me all this, surely, just _maybe_, I still had a chance.

"Renesmee," I said, daring to take her hands in mine. "Will you forgive me?"

She smiled coyly at me, and pressed lightly with her fingers. _Yes, of course, Oliver_… a sudden mischievous glint appeared in her eyes_…and if you don't kiss me right now I might just change my mind._

My eyes widened, along with my grin. It wasn't like her to be so bold about _that_ kind of stuff…then again, I was forgiven, and…_we were back togeth_er?

"So, I take it I can be your boyfriend again?" I asked uncertainly. She rolled her eyes and made a grab for me…this time it was me succumbing to her death touch.

In the back of my mind I noted that Edward would be listening to our entire episode, but I didn't care. By yet another miracle, Renesmee and I were together again…and I could tell how thrilling it really was going to be as I kissed back and moaned under the electrifying and amazing body and soul of Renesmee Cullen.

Alright, what do you think? Let me know, please!! Review, review, review! I will do my best to update more often (like i was doing before), but I need to know what you all think as well. Suggestions, comments, questions? Anything at all, let me know, I will try to post the next chapter by Monday, but until then, review, review! Thanks.


	27. Beginning of Hormones

Finals are almost over, thank goodness. Thank you all so much for bearing with me and reviewing. You have no idea how much I appreciate it, I will do my best to get at least one more chapter out before the end of next week, maybe even two, but for now, here's chapter twenty seven; beware, this isn't rated M thus far, and even after this chapter I still think I'm in the ok…but this could be just the beginning of yet another trait of my story hehe. So for those of you who have been wanting more steam, I hope you like the beginnings of it in this chapter, don't worry, you may think it's elementary in comparison, but there's still much more to come in this story so the steaminess could only get better, right? Anyway, don't forget to review! Enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new faces.

**************************Nessie***************************************

I'd thought the first kiss had been awesome, but this second one…it was utopia. The first one had been sensual, sweet, shy yet filling, but this one…Oliver kissed me as if he might never kiss me again, his lips brushed along different parts of my face and neck, they crushed my lips, suckling my bottom lip so hard that I almost bit him back, then they traveled down the side of my neck and I felt myself shiver with pleasure—I actually _shivered_!

His hot breath came in rushed intervals, revealing his excitement, and I shamelessly realized my own breathing…and…_moaning_? Yes, I was definitely making some interesting noises, and to make matters worse, my body seemed to have grown a mind of its own. We were sprawled out on the side of the porch on the floor at this point, hidden by a mixture of darkness, the looming porch stairs, and brittle shrubbery left behind from winter's reign. Oliver held me in his lap, his hands alternating from rubbing the small of my back to down the length of my leg. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew we shouldn't be making up _this_ well, but instead of listening I snuggled deeper into his embrace, thriving in this relatively new sensation. I pulled my knees up closer so that his hand had no choice but to move from my leg to the top of my thigh; the skirt of my dress had by this time hitched up to a very inappropriate length; I childishly justified it in comparison to wearing a bathing suit. He paused slightly at this new exposure of my body, but when I only kissed him more feverishly he began to rub there too, his hand moving higher and higher towards under my dress, though not quite completely under. The touch sent more chills down my spine and I dared to use more of my own lips and tongue, feeling down the side of his neck and pulling him even closer to me, my hands pulling his now wet hair eagerly. I felt him crumble under me, groaning without fear of being heard—or perhaps without control—and I couldn't help but feel smug, knowing I could cause such a reaction to this big strong wolf boy.

If I had been completely sane I might've been humiliated with my reactions, but my sagacity seemed to have fled elsewhere, leaving me to the mercy of my suddenly raging hormones. He didn't let me revel in my satisfaction of making him groan for long, suddenly he repositioned me around him, so that now I was straddled around his legs, facing him directly and getting attacked firsthand down the length of my neck along the topmost part above my breasts. My breathing hitched, and I suddenly remembered I had breasts at all; I felt his nose nudge the outer parts of my cleavage, his breathing labored from the sudden marathon our enthusiasm seemed to be running. He pulled me even closer so that now I was right on top of him, feeling things a twelve-going-on-thirteen year old shouldn't be feeling, both mentally and physically. I chanced a glance into his eyes, his beautiful black, brown eyes, and I could see the hunger in them, the lust; he wanted me right now, and bad, his eyes stared back at me whilst his hands found new places on my body to rub, new but not exactly what we both knew would be crossing the line, a line getting thinner and thinner as the need to be together, to be closer, overwhelmed us…_would he actually go that far?_

We kept our gaze steady, no longer kissing, simply staring into each other's eyes. A month ago I had looked into these eyes and seen only one of my friends looking back at me, but the eyes I looked into now were that of a lovers...I knew we didn't love each other, and that we wouldn't actually have sex right now, but being this close, being this intimate…it was mind boggling.

Suddenly I felt both of his hands beneath the skirt of my dress, moving slowly along the topmost part of my outer thighs, his thumbs grazing softly my hips, and then settling underneath the thin material of my lace underwear. My heart accelerated instantaneously, his intense gaze never abated as he pulled me even closer—though I couldn't see how that was even possible…with clothes on anyway—onto himself.

I was directly over him, and my eyes widened as I suddenly realized the particular solidness that was now grazing my inner thigh. I grabbed the back of his shoulder.

_You don't seriously plan on—_

But he didn't let me finish my thought. His mouth was on mine at lightning speed, his tongue doing the most amazing things inside mine whilst he continued to trail his hands higher up to my waist.

So maybe sex wasn't out of the question…?

This is wrong, this is really wrong, I thought to myself, but my body didn't want to cooperate. I maneuvered my hands along the broadness of his back, feeling the muscles threatening to emerge even larger within the next month or so. I was vaguely aware how familiar Oliver's body was to Jake's, just somewhat smaller…_if this is what Oliver's body felt like, Jake's would be…_Remembering my current position and Oliver's 'excitement' beneath me, I felt my temperature rise significantly with my silly comparison. Jake was my friend after all.

Oliver's hand had found itself at my bra's clasp, and I began to breathe even faster, anticipating what could very surely happen if he undid that clasp. It could mean the difference between control and lack of, the ending of one kind of innocence, the beginning of immeasurable pleasure…He dawdled for a second, testing my reaction, or lack of in this case…

And then he unclasped it.

I could've sworn my breasts made it up the next size at that moment; my body demanded the pleasure that could surely arise from all this tedious touching and kissing, and my mind reeled in a haze, ignoring all that was right and dancing circles around the wrongness of what we were about to do. Somewhere in the back of my mind I remembered the conversation with Jake and his 'urges.' I really did understand now, and I made a mental note to tell him so later.

Oliver was finally nearing the outer side of my bosom, his fingers shook slightly, nervous no doubt, and he looked at me once more before gently grazing the outer parts of my bare breast. I sighed in pleasure, pulling his head towards me in my own lustful vigor.

_It just felt so good! So horribly wrong but yet so right!_

"_Oh_," I said aloud, "_I don't care anymore_," and I looked him in the eyes, "_just take me now, Jake!"_

Oliver suddenly froze, his hands pulling out from underneath my dress and his head pulled back a mile. He stared at me in shock.

_What? Why did you_…and then I realized what I had just said…_uh oh._

Yay! I know not too much action, but at least a little? Let me know what you think, and again, if you're disappointed with the lack of 'sexual content' ( like I know some of you are, you perverts! Haha, jk…) remember this isn't a M rated story…although, like I said, I plan to make it a little better later ; ) So review, review, review! Please, it revs me up, thanks!


	28. Emotions

Alright, haven't got many reviews, but this might be the only time I have to update so hopefully you guys won't let me down and review? Lol, jk, you guys are the best! Anyway, here's the next chapter, review please! Thanks.

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

*************************Jacob*************************************

I ran as fast as I could, as fast as my human legs could carry me. I had realized quickly that if Edward heard where I was going through one of my pack members later, it would ruin my need to stay uncharted. My eyes burned from the tears still streaming down my face, though they were flowing out slower now.

I had left Nessie.

I knew Alice would never send me away like this if it hadn't been for something as important as keeping Nessie safe, but…was this really the only way? I had no idea why I was running away, but I trusted the little fortune teller. Hopefully she'd call soon and fill me in on the reason behind my terrible heartache.

My heart bled as I put more and more distance between my angel and me. And just when things were about to get good too…my tears began to flow faster again, staining my already smeared face. I'd been running for maybe an hour and I still couldn't seem to gain control of my emotions...some tough alpha, I though bitterly.

I closed my eyes as I focused on the only face I would ever see in the darkness I was surely headed to, never slowing down my pace; I knew I wouldn't bump into anything, it's a wolf thing…

…Nessie looking at me for the first time with her beautiful big brown eyes…Nessie hanging on to my tail as we turned our backs on the Volturri that horrible day…Nessie laughing at my 'urges' and accepting me nonetheless…Nessie coming down the stairs looking like the young woman she was so soon transforming into…Nessie taking my arm and walking towards the beginning of our future…

"AAAAGGGGHHHH!" I yelled, finally stopping in the middle of the forest, somewhere in Canada probably. Nessie had finally began to see, even though she didn't fully realize it, what she really meant to me, what I was for her…and now…there was no telling what would happen, if I could ever go back…not if it meant Nessie being in danger, no of course not…It hurt so much though, nothing compared to the mild pain Bella used to cause me back in the old days, but excruciating, shredding my heart to pieces, I-want-to-kill-myself kind of pain, a pain that I knew would never die, but thrive with time, wounding my soul till I was no more than a breathing body of flesh with nothing to live for…

But I had to keep going, for Nessie, for her safety, her happiness. I knew that perhaps I was overthinking the situation, that maybe Alice would call me in the next five minutes and tell me to come home…but I had to prepare for the worst.

I burst forward with more energy…even if I couldn't be there with her, I would always protect her…

*******************************Edward******************************** 

I couldn't help but direct an annoyed glance at Bella; as soon as we entered the den area with everyone else, I'd seen the beginnings of a make up session between Nessie and Oliver.

It seemed to be simple kissing at first…and then they were on the floor. I tried to remember that this might be the last time in awhile that Nessie would be happy…

BUT THE DAMN PUP WAS RUNNING HIS HAND DOWN HER LEG!!

I was going to sneak away to stop whatever else the two had in mind, but Bella stopped me.

"Edward," she pleaded, "they won't do anything rash. Nessie's a big girl, she'll know when to stop."

"But Bella—" I began, and then 'poof!' Their thoughts were gone. Bella led me back towards the others, assuring me everything would be ok as far as _that_ was concerned. I shook my head at her unbelievingly but let myself be led away anyway.

_All that time she'd been on constant alert with Jacob's thoughts and now she was backing out on me? Our daughter was outside being groped, groping back! And here we were, just letting her make her way towards underage sex! Sure, let her be happy for as long as possible, but not that happy! It just wasn't right, as her father I should—_

"Edward," Charlie was asking me, his eyes somewhat concerned, though not much, "did you hear me?" 

Bella looked at me with an amused smirk. I racked Charlie's thoughts seeking out the answer he wanted.

"Oh, yes, sending Nessie to school on the reservation was an excellent idea," I feigned calmness, but my eyes still bugged out more than usual. I tried relaxing my tense stance, reminding myself not to be so still, but I just couldn't seem to stop glancing back towards the little convicts. Bella finally rolled her eyes and I felt the rush of Nessie and Oliver's thoughts filter into my head.

Bad mistake.

I was out of Bella's grasp in less than a second and out the den. I snarled without trying to conceal it as I made to yank open the door to the porch. Someone was going to feel real pain tonight.

_Oh no you don't you little_—but I suddenly stopped at Nessie's next spoken words, releasing my hand from the knob. Bella was already by my side.

"What?" she asked quietly, seeing my chaotic anger suddenly vanish. I motioned for her to follow me back. 

"It's going to be a long night, Bella."

*****************************Jasper*****************************

The emotions were a mass of turmoil. Worry mixed with relief, sadness mixed with happiness, and…arousal and desire mixed with guilt? I shot a quick glance in Edward's direction, but he seemed only tense. Could he hear what I felt coming from outside by the porch?

I watched him curiously, getting ready for any sudden movements. He didn't even seem to notice me, his thoughts were angry and worried…so maybe he was letting the two preteens do whatever they pleased…but then he was gone. I looked over to Bella, and judging by the look on her face, I realized she'd been shielding Nessie and Oliver and only barely released her hold.

Edward finally saw what I was sensing quite strongly. I made to follow, knowing the potential behind Edward's anger, but Alice stopped me.

"Don't worry, nothing will happen," she told me, smiling lightly, though her eyes still held the worry from earlier.

Then I felt another emotion…

Hurt.

I know, really short chapter, but I'm trying to put in all that I can with the time constraints. Let me know what you all think (aside from it being too short, I know, I know, don't worry, the next one will make up for it) and please review, review! I will try to update asap. Thanks.


	29. Determined

YESSSS! My two main finals are over with, just one more project on Thursday and a simple guitar final Friday and done!!!! So I can finally update everyday like I used to. One comment I would like to say before anything else.

I would like to apologize sincerely to Charlotte for 'disturbing' you in the 'Oliver-Nessie steam moment.' The reason behind it is simple (as another reviewer commented); Nessie is far older mentally, so even though she is twelve going on thirteen, she is already feeling 'stirrings.' As for Oliver, well, what can I say, he's a hormonal boy lol. It wasn't and is never my intention to disturb any of my readers; however, I will give fair warning that there may be more of these 'steamy' moments (remember I mentioned earlier that I might have to change the rating of this story), so in my defense, can't say I didn't warn you. I do hope you will continue to enjoy my story though :)

Anyway, thank you to all of my reviewers! Here's the next chapter, enjoy! Oh and of course, review!

As always, I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's treasure cove of ideas, solely the plot and some new faces in this story.

******************************Oliver************************************

I couldn't believe it…I stared at her with my jaw dropped (along with all my arousal). She stared back at me, her face flustered, dress disheveled, and her bra strap hanging out the back. She looked surprised as well, and for a very long moment neither of us said a word. Then…

"Oliver, I—I" she started, though she couldn't seem to finish the sentence. I didn't know what to do or say. Internally I was depressingly hurt, pained that despite the huge step we seemed to have overcome just moments ago, nothing had changed... she had been thinking of _him_ all along. Somewhere in my destroyed mind I could feel anger, but the hurt overwhelmed it, and so I simply stared back at the beautiful mess before me.

"I'm sorry," she finally breathed, "I was thinking about the conversation Jake and I had not too long ago…" her face burned more, "We were talking about why he'd been avoiding me…he explained to me his 'urges' and so," she finally looked at me, "I was recalling how I understood him completely while we were, you know, _doing_ stuff," she looked away in shame. "Talk about bad timing to remember stuff like that, I know, pretty stupid…It didn't mean anything Oliver, really, I guess my thoughts just got mixed up…I'm really sorry… "

I heard her, but my brain still seemed to be piecing together her explanation…_So, let me get this straight: she said his name because of a memory?..._it was a weak explanation, but…I looked into her eyes, eyes that begged me to believe her. When my physical state remained frozen she bit her lip and began fumbling with her bra strap, fearing the worst no doubt as her hand shook nervously.

After another moment I went over to help her. She let me, both us wallowing in our own sadness. I kept my hand on the small of her back, still trying to convince myself that what she said was true, that she had no feelings for Jacob in _that_ way…

"Oliver…" she turned around to face me, her eyelashes batting slightly as she looked up at me, "say something, please?"

I forced a small smile in her direction. "So," I said softly, taking her hand in mine, "you don't feel, you know, like, attracted or anything to Jacob?"

She blinked. "No, that's what I've been trying to tell you. It really was just a misunderstanding." She looked at me, sincerity emanating from her big brown eyes. I knew I believed her, that _she_ believed her explanation really was the reason behind it all…but I knew better.

She _was_ starting to feel for Jacob Black…she just didn't know it.

This revelation made my blood boil, and my sadness was replaced with the mad desire of keeping Renesmee all to myself, especially now; who knew how long I had until…she realized Jacob really _was_ who she wanted…

"I'm sorry for reacting like that, Renesmee," I spoke softly to her, "I believe you."

She flashed that incredible smile at me, and I felt my anger dissipate. _How could I stay angry when she looked at me like that?_

I hugged her to my chest, feeling her warm breath as she sighed in relief. "You know," I said, "I guess it's good that we stopped anyway."

She looked up at me curiously, "Why do you say that?"

I raised an eyebrow at her. She blushed, "Well, yes I know, aside from the obvious."

"Your dad."

Renesmee suddenly shrieked. "OH! I completely forgot about daddy!" She turned fearfully towards the door, but we were still alone. "Maybe mom was shielding us…" though she sounded doubtful.

We both continued staring at the door, hands held, expecting Edward to come charging out, but nobody came.

"Well," Renesmee suddenly said, "so much for not messing around," she giggled, smiling at me shyly. I laughed along with her.

"I know, as much as I enjoyed it"—she blushed, "maybe we should tone it down a bit, at least for now." Renesmee nodded, though I could see she was a bit disappointed, as was I.

"So," she started again, this time more hesitantly, "we're ok, right?"

"Definitely."

"And…Jake?"

_Oh, right_…suddenly I remembered his fleeing figure into the woods. I'd completely dismissed it when Renesmee walked out… I considered whether or not to tell her about it…_better not, no need to worry her over what was probably nothing._

"Yeah, we can tell Jacob if you really want," I said, as much as I hated the idea of being beat to a pulp. I didn't regret my decision long though.

"_Oh, Oliver_!" she exclaimed, jumping up into my embrace.

I settled into another long kiss, not even minding the lack of steam this kiss had in comparison to our previous one. She kissed me sweetly, innocently…and I kissed her back, determined to face whatever I had to face to keep her by my side.

***************************Edward***********************************

I felt my shoulders relax. I'd been afraid the two would get into another argument, or worse, another 'moment.' Oliver had handled Nessie's explanation quite well; impressive, considering his earlier idiotic explanations for keeping Jacob out of their secret. Bella squeezed my arm lightly.

"Edward?"

I looked at her, the majority of my recent madness having left my eyes. "It's ok now," I assured her, "they're just…kissing." I grimaced on the last word; I was definitely not over what the little brat had been doing to my daughter mere moments ago.

I would have a talk with him later.

Bella smiled at me. "What did I tell you? Nessie wouldn't go that far—"

"Have you forgotten whose daughter she belongs to?" I interrupted her, looking at her meaningfully. Bella only laughed lightly.

"But she's _your_ daughter too, and if I recall correctly, you have amazing control," she said, but then her face turned to that of sadness. "I assume they'll be coming in soon?"

I nodded. "Yes, we better get back to the celebration, we need to be ready for when Nessie realizes Jacob is gone."

**************************Nessie***********************************

This was a nice kiss, different because it said the most without actually doing much. After what seemed like a long time, I finally pulled away from Oliver's still 'smooching' face.

"We better go inside with the others," I said, laughing a little at his expression. He nodded and took my arm, patting down my hair with his other hand. I was grateful; Alice would have me with a glass of blood if my hair was completely ruined within the first couple hours of its magnificence.

We walked past the crowded den and into the dining room. By some miracle there was still food left, and I realized how hungry I was. Oliver didn't need convincing on this one. We immediately filled a plate each and began to stuff our mouths with my mother and Esme's incredible cooking. The other wolves—still eating of course—sat around us, laughing and talking with their mouths open. Tom, I noticed, was busy arm wrestling Emmett—who was beating him every time. My family were scattered throughout both rooms…Rosalie sitting dutifully but scowling by Emmett's side, Esme and Carlisle making the rounds as host and hostess, Alice and Jasper in another corner, mom and daddy talking to grandpa Charlie…

The room was full of people, vampires and wolves included, and yet…for some reason I felt like it was empty…

I scanned the room again, searching for that familiar face, that familiar smile, listening for that unforgettable heartbeat…I recalled my nightmare, panic tinting my heart when I noticed that Jake was nowhere in sight.

I focused my senses intently, hoping to hear or even smell him; both were very distinct for me when it came to Jake…but nothing.

I was barely aware of Oliver sitting next to me at that moment, barely aware of the other bodies milling around me, barely aware that I wasn't breathing…my heart began to race as panic overtook me, it wasn't like Jake to leave out of nowhere without telling me…

_Where was my Jake?_

Alright, I'm getting back in the 'writing' mode, hopefully I can come up with a better chapter for my next update, but until then, review! Please? I am almost all yours ( as far as updating of course) so review, make me feel obligated!...I'll probably update anyway lol, but still, you get the point. Thanks!


	30. Little  White  Lie

Ok not so many reviews yet, but I guess I owe you guys for having updated so few times. However, like I said, I'm completely ready to go on an updating rampage!...so let's see if you can keep up ;-) haha! Anyway, I still would love for you all to keep reviewing and letting me know what you think, it helps, trust me. Well, here's the next chapter, review and enjoy! Thanks.

Again, Stephanie Meyer's work is completely hers, I only own the plot and some new characters in this story.

***************************Jasper**********************************

Nessie walked in with her arm in Oliver's; her emotions, thankfully, were no longer in the 'Edward is going to annihilate Oliver because of such thoughts' zone, and I could feel a sort of peace within her, content…for the moment. Edward was watching her as well, I caught his gaze, wondering if she had noticed Jacob's absence yet. Edward gave a slight nod…no…but I could see that he was worried nonetheless. I frowned; it was only a matter of a few more minutes, no doubt.

"So," I asked the small beauty beside me, "when Nessie realizes he's gone, what _exactly_ are we going to tell her?"

Alice looked at me positively, though I could see the uncertainty behind her golden eyes, and this was a bad thing; Alice was hardly ever _uncertain_ about anything. "Considering tonight is Christmas Eve, we'll tell her he decided to go home to Billy, that he didn't want him to be alone—_don't_ interrupt me, Jasper—she won't leave the party, I'm sure of it. She'll be worried, of course, but Oliver will keep her distracted."

"How can you be so sure?"

Alice smiled, the first real smile since her vision, "Edward is going to talk to him, and that's putting it nicely. When he's through with him, I'm positive Oliver will follow through."

I was still somewhat confused. "But, how is that going to keep Nessie from leav—"

Edward was suddenly by my side, "Because Oliver _saw_ Jacob leaving, not that he knows why, but nonetheless, he needs to agree to our story otherwise he might reveal more than necessary…_again_."

"So you're just going to tell him everything then?" I asked.

Edward gave me a small nod. "Yes and no. He's quite determined to keep Nessie all to himself, as he so _avidly_ displayed," a deathly narrowing of the eyes took place, "_that_ was the main reason I wanted to talk to him, but given the circumstances, he won't want Nessie thinking about Jacob, or his absence for that matter. It may be for his own selfish reasons, but for the time being, it puts us both on the same page."

I nodded, understanding where this was headed. "So, you're going to threaten him into playing into Alice's little white lie, using his, uh, recent behavior as collateral."

Edward gave a small smile, "Exactly, I know he doesn't enjoy lying to her, but I'll be willing to let their little episode go if he goes along—" he suddenly froze, glancing quickly at Nessie, who's emotions, I swiftly noticed, were a swarming mass of alarm.

"Edward, _now_," Alice ordered, but Edward was already headed towards the young couple, "Jasper," she turned to me, "calm Nessie down, please."

I nodded, using all my power as Edward approached them.

It was show time.

******************************Oliver**********************************

Talk about visiting the different levels of heaven; Renesmee was, of course, at the way top—_but this food_!

I grabbed from every entrée, using one hand to refill my plate over and over again as my other hand traveled back and forth from the dishes to my salivating mouth. I could definitely get used to this kind of cooking, it was only a shame I hadn't found the haven of the Cullen kitchen earlier. I stifled down a burp, remembering vaguely in the back of my food-engrossed brain that Renesmee was still right next to me.

Life was great, I had the most amazing girl by my side, the world's best buffet at my fingertips—_on my fingertips_!—and…an icy cold hand on my shoulder?

_Gulp_.

I turned slowly, fearfully, forgetting the mashed up Swedish meatballs still lingering deliciously on my tongue as my mouth dropped slightly into a timid 'o.' Sure enough, Edward Cullen stared back at me through knowing eyes, powerful and heart constricting 'don't even think about running' eyes.

_Oh no, he knows! He knows what we…what I_…I glanced fretfully at Renesmee, she was in this too after all, at least I wouldn't go down alone—but the partial cause of my soon to come eradication was no longer next to me.

He was going to beat me into dust, no doubt, again I pictured my funeral…_my mother crying over my mangled body, Tom looking at me with an 'I told you so' face_…The stupid urge of spitting food into his eyes and running for it crossed my mind, but I knew it was the terror in me taking over. I barely had a chance to scan the room in vain for Renesmee when the same icicle of a hand abruptly lifted me off my seat, simultaneously removing the plate of riches from my hand, and dragged me out of the room.

"Let's go for a little walk, shall we?" he spoke softly, and I, petrified out of my mind of the offended daddy vampire, food still hanging halfway out of my mouth, realized Jacob wasn't the only one willing to massacre me when it came to Nessie…

****************************Nessie**************************************

I couldn't seem to control my impulsive terror. All logic escaped me as my throat suddenly felt really tight…_where was he_?

Oliver was no longer existent in my little bubble of fear, all that mattered was Jake.

I got up, meaning to leave and search for Jake outside, but two figures appeared out of nowhere, blocking my way.

"Nessie!" cried Alice, "What the heck have you done with your hair?"

I looked at her confused. _My hair…? Oh, right… _"Sorry, Alice, long story," I said, making to push past them, but they didn't budge. "Excuse me, I have to…go to the bathroom."

"I'll come with," chimed in Alice. I looked at her incredulously...she couldn't be serious? Alice only rolled her eyes. "To fix you hair, duh?" Jasper only shrugged at my exasperated look, the hint of a smile threatening to show on his face; there was no arguing with Alice. I had no choice but to follow her to one of the bigger restrooms, one that had the actual toilet separated from the mirror and sink.

She walked daintily, and though I could've blamed it on the heels, my feet dragged. Before she could shove me in, however, I decided to just ask.

"Alice, have you seen Jake?"

Alice stopped trying to lug me in front of the mirror, her gaze focused on my worried expression and she looked at me somewhat sympathetically. "Yes, actually, he had to take off early, Ness, said to tell you sorry for leaving without saying good-bye."

I frowned. "But, where did he go?"

"Well, home of course, silly," Alice answered me, as if that were the only and obvious choice, "you know how Billy is so sick nowadays, and poor Jake just felt it wasn't right for him to spend Christmas alone."

It made sense but…I narrowed my eyes at my tiny aunt. "But Jake _always_ says bye to me…are you sure?"

Alice laughed her high, reassuring, and contagious laugh. "Well, let's just say you were a bit _busy_ at the moment."

I blushed. _Oh…that's why…_

"I knew you two were still pending on whether or not to tell Jacob so I told him I'd say bye to you for him," she continued, but I didn't need any more convincing, _that_ story I could believe; another thought had entered my mind.

"Alice, do you know exactly what we—I mean, where we, uh…" I stammered, finally getting to the point, "does daddy know what Oliver and I were doing?"

Alice's forehead creased. "To be honest, Nessie, _I'm_ not even sure what you two were doing. I don't think Edward knows everything, but," she stopped, seeing my momentary relief and then unwillingly destroying it, "I think he saw enough."

"I need to find Oliver," I said hurriedly, making to get away, but Alice was quicker.

"Sorry, sweetie, but that hair is not going to stay like that while you have me around," she tugged me into the bathroom.

A new fear arose in me, somewhat ridiculous in theory perhaps, but still very worthy of actually happening: daddy was going to KILL Oliver.

Alright, so in the next chapter Edward is going to have his little 'talk' with Oliver. I myself find it quite hilarious, the fuss anyway, but anyway, who care's what I think? I want to know what you all think, so review…now! Lol, I will more than likely update again by tomorrow (if not earlier); I didn't even shower this morning so I could get a head start on my project and thus update sooner haha! Don't let this act be in vain, so please review, review, review and tell me what I can do to make it better/ what you already like or hate, just tell me. Ok, well, I guess I should go shower then—I bet you thought I was kidding huh?—thanks.


	31. Weirdness

Ok, I'll make this short: please, please, please, please, please with a blood dosage on top review? I realize I only posted the last chapter several hours ago so maybe I'm being a bit hasty…sorry, can't help it, I'm just so eager to update and see what you all think, anyway, here's chapter thirty one, as usual, review, enjoy, and…uh, make sure you shower?

(I know, I know, I'll stop with the 'dirty' thoughts haha…too excited for my own good over being able to update…)

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's wondrous work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

**************************Oliver****************************************

I'd been hoping that perhaps, just maybe, Edward might take me somewhere within hearing range of my desperate pleas for help for our little 'walk'…but soon we were heading into the forest. After several minutes, I found myself having to jog to keep up with him—he still had his iron grip on my arm—and I wondered vaguely just how fast he could really run; word had it that Edward Cullen was faster than Leah. I didn't have long to dwell on the insignificant detail, however, the next thing I knew I had my back slammed into a nearby tree. Edward held me up by my chest with one hand, despite how big of a kid I was; I knew somehow that it didn't matter how big I was, Edward's strength was unbelievable at the moment.

"Now," snarled Edward, his eyes gleaming like a crazy man—_he wasn't actually going to kill me was he_?—"let's get right to it. I know what your dirty little paws were doing on my little girls body, if it hadn't been for Bella's initial shield I might've been able to break it up before you got as far you did."

My mind was racing; _so he hadn't seen everything_…I was almost hopeful, but then Edward let out a terrible laugh.

"Oh, I saw enough, trust me," he spoke to me, his fingers digging into my arms, "and if you EVER do anything remotely near what you did," he raised his voice at me, fire raging in his eyes, "I WILL kill you next time. Renesmee is only twelve, thirteen at the most, and she will NOT be doing that kind of stuff right now!"

I could feel the air being pushed out of my abdomen, my ribs close to being crushed under his grasp; if he didn't let me down soon I was going to pass out.

"_Do we have an understanding_?" his face was right in mine, and I could smell the vampire in him, his venom; it made me cringe, and despite my already lacking oxygen supply I managed a whimpering, "yes sir."

He dropped me and I fell, crumpling to floor in agony where his hand had held me up, gasping for air.

"Now that that's settled," Edward continued, in a lower voice, "that's not the only thing I needed to discuss with you."

I was still trying to remember how to breathe, the bruise where he'd held me still quite painful; it would take awhile to heal regardless of my faster than usual healing. I looked up at him through blurry eyes, blinking furiously to get rid of the water that had accumulated in my eyes during this whole ordeal.

"There's a reason I'm letting you off this easy," he said. I almost let out an exasperated cough: _this was letting me off easy_? His eyes narrowed dangerously and I immediately took the thought back. "Jacob is gone, you saw him leave as a matter of fact."

I recalled Jacob's hasty flight into the forest…_what did that have to with anything_?

"That is not exactly your business, Oliver, but given the circumstances, I'm going to have to ask a favor of you."

_Yeah, like I'd be jumping for joy to do him a favor after what he'd just done to me…_

His eyes flashed, "Really, you're tempting me to change my mind about you."

_Ok, ok_, I thought hastily, _what do you want_?

Edward spoke carefully this time, "Alice is telling Nessie right now that Jacob has gone back home to spend some time with Billy, all you have to do is confirm this. You saw him leave into the forest, so don't make it into something that's going to make her worry. There's something much bigger going on and we don't want Nessie to get herself into any trouble by going out and looking for him."

I processed what he told me…_so that meant that Jacob was_…

"Yes, he is gone, for now anyway, until we can figure out what to do about the situation," Edward answered me.

_Situation_?

"Like I said, none of your concern, the less you know," he said, this time frowning more as he spoke, "the less you can let slip to Nessie."

I flushed, though curiosity got the better of me. "Where did he go then?" I asked, finally speaking aloud.

Edward shook his head, "I don't know, none of us do."

"Oh," was all I said, finally sitting up into a kneeling position…_I wonder if he's ok?..._the thought of something happening to him made me feel guilty, and I looked to Edward for a response.

"Jacob is fine," he answered—I let out a breath of relief, at least I wouldn't have that on my conscience. I thought of something else, and before he could respond, spoke aloud anyway. "Renesmee's not going to settle for this lie for long, it's only Christmas once a year. Tomorrow she's going to ask the same thing."

Edward looked pained, but he still spoke to me in the same stern voice. "Yes, we are aware of that…it's going to be difficult for her when we tell her the truth, which is why we want to her to be happy as long as she can until then."

I nodded in understanding, it made sense…then I couldn't help thinking about the possibilities Renesmee and I had with Jacob temporarily out of the picture…

"Don't even think about it," growled Edward; I immediately stopped. "Unfortunately," he continued, fixing a disgusted look on my wounded figure, "you _do_ make her happy, so if you could just cooperate with us tonight, I would be really grateful. Our family will figure something out for tomorrow."

"Ok," I agreed, "I'll say whatever you want me to say."

"Good, we should get back then, Nessie will see us missing and assume the worst," he said, eyeing me meaningfully; I understood, the threat of killing me was still there. "Do me this favor, and behave with my daughter."

I struggled to get up, my entire midsection aching. "I will."

********************************Nessie*************************

As soon as Alice had finished with my hair, I raced out in search of Oliver.

"Hey, Tom, have you seen your brother?" I asked. Tom was busy eating again.

"Yeah actually, he left with your dad," he said through a mouthful of noodles. I looked at him with a frown; _wouldn't Oliver leaving with my dad be something to be suspicious of?_ Tom took it as something else, of course, noticing my frown, he stopped chewing for a second, picking up a forkful of noodles. "What? Did you want some? There's still more…"

But I had already left, worried still for Oliver's fate yet slightly amused with Tom's lack of focus when food was involved. I went to my mom next.

"Mom," I said, ignoring her 'hi dear, what's the rush?', "where did daddy take Oliver?"

Her smile faltered and she quickly regained composure, but of course I wasn't fooled. "Oh, well," she said, "your father just wanted to talk to Oliver, that's all."

I grabbed her arm. _What are you not telling me mom?_

She narrowed her eyes at me then, and I suddenly remembered I was just as much at fault as Oliver for the little 'incident'. "Well, sweetie," she said, her voice somewhat tighter, "I understand you like this boy, but your father happened to hear some very interesting things going on during your little make up session."

I released her arm, taking the tiniest step away from her. "Luckily for you both, I shielded most of it, but still," she said, grabbing me and pulling me closer to her so I couldn't make my getaway, "apparently you two got pretty far. I have to say, Nessie, I'm disappointed."

I didn't know what to say, more aware of the fact that though I'd obviously done something really wrong, my mom wasn't exactly getting mad at me…as a matter of fact, she looked a bit worried herself…

"I know, mom," I heard myself say, "and I'm really sorry. We just got a bit carried away, but it won't happen again."

She nodded, letting me go, and suddenly smiled at me. "Well, at least you're honest with me."

I stared at her as she moved away from me and over to Esme's side. _That was it? No punishment for little twelve year old me getting my boobies groped?_ It made no sense…maybe daddy hadn't told her exactly how far we'd gotten…

No time to dwell on it. I made my way to the front door, but just as I grasped the handle it opened, and in walked my dad.

"Hello, Nessie," he smiled at me brightly.

_Ok, seriously, what was with all this optimism? _

"What? It's Christmas Eve, after all," he said to me, laying a hand on my shoulder as he spoke, "no need to be unhappy right now. Don't worry, young lady, I know _exactly_ what you did, Oliver will be in shortly. Just make sure it doesn't happen again."

And with that, he returned to crowd.

I stared at the back of his retreating form for a moment, barely noticing when Oliver came to stand by my side.

Mom had acted ridiculously lenient towards me and 'the Oliver moment'; it was weird, but justified if she didn't know the _exact_ details…

_But daddy?_

No way.

Something was going on that I didn't know about. My eyes narrowed in suspicion, frustration building in my already mangled mind of emotions.

_Why were they always keeping me in the dark?_

Ok, so I lied about waiting till tomorrow, ha! But that just means I'll be able to write another chapter by then. Again, review please, let me know what you think. I'm a bit unsure of this chapter—I feel I could've added more to it—so let me know what you feel. As always, thanks to those of you who have reviewed, it makes my day :)


	32. Unsettled

Hmmm, still not that many reviews…? But anyway, I'm hoping to post this by sometime today (remember I still have a project due today). Review and enjoy, thanks.

Again, I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

****************************Bella*************************************

My mind raced frantically; Nessie wasn't going to settle for our story for too long, especially considering our poor reactions towards her latest crime. Edward came towards me; I wasn't surprised to see the somewhat smug expression on his face.

I felt a little sorry for Oliver, knowing perfectly well what my over-analytical husband was capable of when he was upset. I met him halfway, anxious.

"Does Nessie know anything yet?" I asked him, intertwining my hands into his. He nodded his head, "She believes Alice, but she is suspicious of our unexpected lenience. Oliver's going to affirm that Jacob went to Billy…" he paused, turning his head towards the young couple that had entered the room. Nessie didn't look worried anymore, but…was she angry about something?

"Nessie knows something isn't right, Bella," Edward said to me quietly, "I gave it away the most, I'm sorry, I didn't want to get upset with her, given current events."

I patted him sympathetically, "Stop blaming yourself, I did the same thing. It's just, well, you're the scary vampire dad."

This got a small smile out of him, he turned to look at me adoringly, "Am I really that scary?"

I motioned over towards Nessie and Oliver again; Oliver was throwing worried glances towards our direction. Edward chuckled. "Don't worry about him, I didn't exactly hurt him…much."

I threw an obnoxious glance in his direction. "Really, Edward, was that necessary?"

Edward's eyes suddenly flashed. "Oh, it was necessary alright."

"What was necessary?" asked Emmett, having appeared by my side. "I smell a bit of vengeance, am I right? Let me guess, Jacob finally made a move on Ness?"

I grimaced. None of the family, aside from Alice, Jasper, myself and Edward, knew of Jacob's leave, or the plan for that matter. We'd decided to leave it till the morning to discuss.

"Actually, no," said Edward, not in the least perturbed at the mention of Jacob, "it was Oliver."

Emmett smiled widely, flexing his huge biceps as he made a punching sign. "Want me to show him a lesson?" he asked, turning to wave at Nessie and Oliver. Nessie made a face at him as Oliver paled and cringed beside her.

I laughed, "Stop it, Emmett. Edward already scared him enough for the next year or so."

"What? And I missed out!" he looked disappointed. I rolled my eyes; leave it to Emmett to break the ice.

Esme and Carlisle came over to join us. I glanced nervously at Edward, unsure if he'd be able to psyche Carlisle out. Edward was flawless though, giving away nothing but the fact that Oliver had paid for his little 'over-friendliness' with Nessie.

Esme frowned at that. "Edward, how could you have scared him like that? You and Bella don't exactly set the perfect example," she scolded.

If I wasn't a vampire I would've blushed, but Edward simply smiled in return. "But I'm over a hundred years old…and Bella's at least of age," he winked at me when I protested 'hey I'm actually a year older than you!'

Carlisle was looking at the couple in question, and I picked up on their conversation. Before Carlisle could ask Edward answered.

"Yes, Jacob left awhile ago to spend Christmas with Billy," he said, looking at Carlisle meaningfully. I could see that Carlisle understood there was something more, but, as was his way, Carlisle trusted Edward did what he did for a reason.

"Oh, well that was very nice of him," he said faintly, turning back to Esme. They made their way over to Charlie—who was enjoying the company of the pack in front of the television.

"Damn, if it isn't one boy it's his twin," Edward muttered, eyeing the three warily. I blinked.

"What now?" I asked, concerned.

Edward didn't answer right away, simply muttered, "Come on, follow her, make sure she doesn't leave, ignore Tom…" he said, then, "Ugh, that boy is getting more and more on my nerves." I watched alongside him as Nessie left the room.

"Edward?" I said, panic creeping into my voice.

"Come on, Bella," he said, taking my hand, " she knows something's up."

We waited a couple of seconds before following her out. On the way Edward mumbled something quickly to Alice, who nodded and went about what Edward had asked of her.

This was getting more and more complicated.

********************************Nessie**********************************

We decided to rejoin the party—where we couldn't possibly get in any trouble—and I walked in first, Oliver lagging behind slightly. He looked shaken, and I realized that though I might've got off the hook, he hadn't been so fortunate. We sat in a corner by Tom—who had finally stopped eating—and despite the gut feeling that something was wrong, I focused my attention on Oliver. Daddy had obviously done something to him.

"Oliver," I said, turning to him, "are you ok?"

He smiled at me, a bit nervously, "I'm fine, Renesmee, we just talked is all—" he suddenly paled, his back hunching slightly as he…_hid_?...behind me. I followed the direction of his worried gaze, and made a face. Emmett was waving at us, flexing his biceps at the same time, an evil smile on his friendly face. At this rate I would never be able to have a relationship…

"So what did you guys talk about?" Tom intervened. I looked at Oliver, having been wondering the same thing. Oliver blushed.

"Well, he pretty much threatened to murder me if we ever did anything like _that_ again," he mumbled.

Tom and I gawked at him.

"He did what?" I screeched.

"What exactly did you two _do_?" demanded Tom.

Oliver looked between the two of us, then said, "Don't worry about it, we already decided we'd tone it down."

"Tone _what_ down, dear brother?" Tom asked, anger seething into his just moments ago friendly voice. It baffled me…what did our relationship matter to him?

"None of your business, _brother_," Oliver replied in the same bothered tone, then turned to me, "oh and by the way, Renesmee, I don't think you'll find Jacob here. I forgot to tell you I saw him take off towards La Push earlier."

"Jacob left? Wait, where have you two been all this time anyway?" continued Tom. We both ignored him.

Jacob's name brought back Alice's explanation to mind. "Oh, yeah, I know, Alice told me he was going to spend Christmas with Billy…though I wish he would've told me," I noticed the sad turn my voice took, immediately regretting it when Oliver's recent 'cower' became possessive.

"Um, guys?" Tom again.

"Billy will be happy, Renesmee, you wouldn't want Jacob feeling bad because his sick dad spent Christmas alone, would you?" Oliver asked, though a bit harsher than necessary. I scowled at him.

"Of course not, but maybe we could've all gone, you know, just us three at least. I'm sure we wouldn't have been missed," I reasoned with him.

"Like I'm obviously not being missed right now," muttered Tom.

"If he wanted us to go he would've asked," countered Oliver. It made my face flush,

"Well, if you hadn't been busy groping me maybe he would've had the chance to ask."

"You _groped_ her?" Tom's eyes went wide.

"Hey, you're the one that came to me, remember?" Oliver retorted back, "It was mutual, you could've stopped it anytime, but you didn't."

"Oh yeah well—" I suddenly stopped, noticing the stupid thing we were arguing over, the stupid thing _I_ had brought up…what was wrong with me? I shook my head, "Sorry, I don't know what got into me…I'll be back."

Oliver's flushed face returned to its normal color. "Where are you going?"

I studied him for a second. He really was beautiful…and my dad had just nearly taken his head off, why was I doing the same?...I couldn't explain why, but I was distraught. I knew something wasn't right and here I was taking it out on the one boy who could make me happy with a simple smile and a kiss…I needed to calm down, to think.

"I'm just going to my room real quick," I said, "I'll be back in five."

Oliver made to follow me, a worry I didn't understand crossing his handsome Quilette features, but Tom pulled him from the loop of his jeans back onto the stool.

"Oh you're not going anywhere," he muttered, "you're going to explain what exactly is going on with you two."

"Hey, now wait one sec—" but I didn't hear Oliver's response. I was already headed to Carlisle's study, the one place I knew no one would be in right now, a place with a phone. I needed to talk to someone, to someone who could ease me of anything with the mere sound of his voice, and even though I knew Jacob was probably busy—the thought caused me pain, Jacob too busy for me—I needed to hear him. He would tell me I was over-thinking things—thanks for that trait, daddy—and that I should just sit back and enjoy the party. I searched through Carlisle's phone book till I found the number I was looking for.

Billy Black.

Ok, I think I'm losing the 'exciting' factor. I'll work on it, but for now, what do you think I'm going to ask of you?...of course, review! I'll be waiting to hear what you all think, the next update should be up soon, thanks.


	33. Fun

Thank you ever so much for all the reviews, I'm delighted to know you guys like my story! This chapter is going to show a bit of the 'rarely seen' POVs ( I know I'm dragging this Christmas series out for quite a bit, but don't worry, I'd say within the next two to three more chapters we should be in 'tomorrow' so please bear with me!). You'll understand why when you read, mainly because I think it's kind of funny and hey, a 'funny factor' usually makes most people smile :). One more thing, this goes out to one of my reviewers ( you know who you are…Tony lol) I will be borrowing one of your quotes for one of the lines, verbatim (also famous in CastAway) I hope you don't mind, it just fit in so perfectly I needed it! So thank you ahead of time :). Ok, read, enjoy, and review! Thanks.

I do not own the fantastic work of Stephanie Meyer, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

****************************Tom***********************************

"Spill, Oliver," I demanded, but his eyes followed Nessie's retreating figure out the door, his brow creased in worry. A moment later, Bella and Edward left the room as well, and I noticed Oliver's shoulder sag in relief.

"Hello?" I reminded him.

Oliver continued ignoring me, making to get up again. _Was I invisible or something?_...my full stomach sure didn't feel like it…I pulled him back onto his seat for the second time. He simply turned to frown at me, his eyes dashing back to where the three had exited.

_Ok, that's enough 'ignore my twin' time. _

"Hey!" I hissed loudly, punching his arm hard enough to get his attention. He finally reacted, glaring at me.

"What the hell, Tom?" he said, keeping his voice low—I suppose even he was aware there were still other people in the room.

I shrugged. "You ignored me."

He rubbed where I'd hit him. "You could've pinched me or something, geez! That hurt," he whined. I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, sorry, whatever, the story will go on, the sun will rise tomorrow and yada, yada, yada," I said dismissively, then added in a more serious tone, "What were you doing with Renesmee?"

At first he just looked at me…then, slowly, a sly grin spread across his face.

"Stuff."

I could feel my nostrils flare. "What kind of _stuff_?"

Oliver feigned thinking. "Let me see…well, we kissed for, like, forever, and then we decided to get a bit more comfortable, so we got on the floor…" he paused, obviously enjoying the horror displayed on my face.

"And I just sort of, you know, _touched_ some things."

_No way_!...My mind went to the worst of places—or best of places, depending on how you looked at it—and I felt my face getting hot.

"Don't tell me you—you guys—you actually—" I spluttered, now in a super hushed voice considering half of the pack was in the next room, "_did it_, did you?

Again with the silence; it was maddening, if my brainless brother had actually deflowered the alpha's imprint…

"No, stupid," he finally said. I relaxed, grateful—despite how much I disliked him at the moment—for the fraction of a longer lifespan my brother might have after all…at least until Jacob got a hold of him.

"I just held her in my arms, and touched some of her leg," he continued, a stupid grin appearing on his stupid face as he recalled the stupid memory. "Oh," he added as an afterthought, "I might've grazed one of her boobs too."

The dirty thoughts again…"You mean, like, by _accident_, right?" I growled, my hands clenching into fists.

Oliver smiled at me. "No, not by accident; I undid her bra."

_WHAT?_

"_Oliver!"_ I yelped. I punched him again, this time a lot harder, and in the gut.

"Oof!" he huffed, doubling over in pain, yet that stupid smile of his remained plastered onto his moronic face, taunting me. My idiot brother seriously did not know when to stop…He clutched his middle, his face turning the slightest bit of red, and after a couple of seconds looked up at me, ready to give his defense, no doubt, but instead…

"It felt quite nice," he managed to breathe out, still clutching his stomach.

_Where the hell did he get the nerve?_

I made to punch him again, knowing he'd be ready to block this time…

…the fake punch…the anticipated block…and then I slapped him across the face.

He turned his head slowly towards me, his jaw dropped down in shock. I knew what he was thinking: had I actually just _slapped_ him?

I smirked, crossing my arms over my chest. _Bet he wasn't thinking of Renesmee now_! I could hear the nearby silence from the loud smack of my hand across Oliver's face. Some of the crowd would be wondering why I'd done such a thing to my twin, and out of nowhere too.

Oliver continued to stare in me a stupor, his brain processing exactly what had just happened…then he lunged at me.

*****************************Emmett**********************************

_Man, I always miss out on all the fun!_ After Edward and Bella had left, I'd almost decided to sneak Rose away for some quick 'fun' but the beginning of a heated argument caught my attention.

I looked over to the twin wolf kids—I would have to find a way to get the little turd somehow—and then I grinned.

_Ah, these two were definitely going to get into it, yes!._ I could tell by the look on one of their faces—Oliver I presumed—that he'd already been punched. I focused my enhanced hearing on their voices and caught something that sounded like 'undid her bra.'

My eyes blazed for a millisecond as I realized which twin Oliver was, but before I could get over there, the other one—I think Tom was his name—_slapped him_!

My eyes bugged out of my head.

Of all the things to do another guy…_and this little dude just slapped him_!

Absolutely and deliciously _hilarious_! I could feel the burst of laughter just waiting to escape me, but then Oliver lunged at Tom.

My grin grew wider, of course, as I sprint full speed to the two. I was going to get my fun after all.

I got there just a second too late; Oliver was already on top of Tom, but it was no matter. Not for my super strength!

"Alright, ladies," I chastised playfully, "break it up, break it up." I easily lifted them off of each other, holding each by the scruff of their necks in each hand. Some of the guests and my family had stopped to see what was going on so I turned their way.

"Nothing to see here, folks, I got the little kids under control," I smiled sweetly, specifically at Esme who's mouth was pulling up into a small smile at my excitement.

The boys, having just realized their current state in my hands, started trying to get out of my grasp, but I only lifted them higher—which was actually the tiniest bit difficult considering they were pretty tall for their age.

"Now, now," I said, eyeing them meaningfully, "don't do the crime if you can't do the time." They both glared at me, of course. I glared back and their defiant looks disappeared, Oliver's quicker than Tom's—_great, Nessie's going out with a wimp_.

"So this is what's going to happen, you're going to apologize to each other," I began, using the best 'mom' voice that I could muster without laughing, "and then kiss and make up! So, who wants to go first?"

Tom looked at me like I was mental, Oliver looked at the floor.

"No volunteers?" I feigned surprise. "Here then, allow me," I said, smacking them into each other.

"_Hey_!"

"_Ow_!"

I couldn't help it anymore, I burst out laughing my shoulders shaking with the two boys still in my grasp. They bobbed up and down, still massaging their bumped faces.

"Ok, that's enough, Emmett," chimed in Esme, struggling not to grin.

"Aw come on, Esme," I pleaded, ignoring the boys' second attempt of struggling out of reach.

"I said _no_."

Alice suddenly joined her. "Put them down, Emmett, I'm sure they'll behave themselves, won't you boys?"

She smiled sweetly at them; I smiled evilly. The boys gulped and nodded earnestly.

"See? Besides it's almost twelve, I decided we're going to open presents, so everyone to the den," said Alice, motioning us forward.

I suddenly forgot everything…_Presents_!

"Sounds good to me," I said excitedly, making my way after her. Two seconds later Esme's scolding voice came after me.

"Emmett, for goodness sake, you're dragging the boys across the floor! Just put them down already!"

_Oh yeah, I forgot_…I dropped them and they both thudded to the ground, groaning in unison; I walked away, satisfied with the evening's events thus far.

*******************************Edward*******************************

We made it to Carlisle's study just as she dialed the third digit to Billy Black's home phone. She didn't even notice us as we entered. Bella was by her side in a flash.

"Renesmee Cullen!" she said, feigning surprise, "You know better than to bother Billy, he's sick!"

Nessie looked confused. "I wanted to talk to Jake," she said simply, and after reading her thoughts I mentally agreed there was nothing wrong with that.

But that just wasn't going to happen right now.

"Nessie, if you need to talk about something you know can always come to us," I approached her, knowing the main reason she wanted Jake was for reassurance. Luckily for us she still believed our little white lie.

She made a face. "I know, I just wanted…" her voice faded, as her thoughts swirled into a mixture of confusion, longing, worry… "I just wanted to hear his voice, that's all."

Bella smiled at her. "Well," she said, taking the phone from her fingers, "I'm sure Jake misses you too, but let's let him spend some time with Billy, hmm? He's hardly ever home, Nessie, and I'm sure you'd be willing to share him for just tonight?"

I almost kissed her right there. Since when did Bella learn to lie like that?

_Well, duh, it's not like I'm jealous of sharing him! I just wanted…oh I don't even know what I wanted…_

Nessie's thoughts brought me out of my slight trance with Bella, and I focused a stern face on her. "Your mother's right, Ness, besides, it's almost twelve and Alice decided we're going to open presents in a bit, so come down with us."

_Presents?...Oh, no! Not in front of everyone! I have to hide Oliver's present before he opens it in front of everyone, in front of daddy!...uh oh, I hope mom's shielding me right now…_

She glanced at me nervously whilst she thought; I pretended to not notice, though I did note in the back of my head to find out about this little 'gift.' She turned a nervous smile at us, now more worried about the unveiling of her present for Oliver than her mixed emotions.

"Ok then," she said, walking swiftly out the door without a moment's hesitation. Bella looked at me, puzzled.

"Was my lie that good?" she asked.

I smiled down at her, pulling her in for the kiss I'd wanted to give her moments ago. "No, you were better," I said, pressing down on her lips softly, "but that's not why she agreed, sorry, my love. She's going to go hide Oliver's gift so he doesn't open it in front of everyone."

Bella laughed, "Well, at least she'll be momentarily distracted." Her smile only lingered for a second, however. "Edward, it's almost tomorrow…what are we going to tell her when he doesn't come back?"

I sighed, "I'm working on it, trust me."

So here's what's going to happen next, in case you're wondering: present opening (Nessie give's Oliver's present in private), maybe another nightmare, family discussion, mystery people (I've revealed that Jane has something to do with it) reveal a little more, find out where Jacob is, his thoughts etc, and…I think that will range within about five to six chapters, but we'll see. I'm considering writing longer chapters but I'm not sure yet—I have a tendency of dragging these things out, as I said earlier—but anyway, review and let me know what you all are thinking! Pretty please? (*Wink*…does that help?...jk) Thanks to those who have reviewed, I'll be awaiting your thoughts, thanks again!


	34. Gifts

I'm going to try to write out at least three chapters ( I have to work tomorrow blah!) that way I can update at least once a day. So here's chapter thirty four, same rules apply: read, review, and above all else, enjoy!

Again, I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's genius, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

****************************Nessie**********************************

_Oh great_, I thought, noticing the newly added presents under the tree…Oliver's had been one of the first ones down there, I'd have to either dig to get to it, or crawl in…I looked down at myself; I wasn't exactly in scavenger attire.. I blushed, imagining everything I'd reveal by simply bending over.

Several individuals were already in the den, and I almost squeaked when Alice suddenly turned a suspicious eye on me. _Darn, this wasn't going to be easy_. I scanned the room again, looking for a certain blonde…_where the heck was Rosalie?_

Emmett came into the room with a ridiculous smile; despite my haggard state of mind, I couldn't help grinning, Emmett's joy was just so infectious. I went over to him eagerly.

"Em," I asked, "where's Rosalie?"

"Hey there, Ness!" he exclaimed, "Been wondering where you went off to!" he lifted me off the ground, causing one of my high heels to slip off.

"Emmett!" I squealed, now laughing. _How could people actually be scared of him?_

"Put her down, darling," Rosalie said, walking into the room, "you're ruining her hair."

He put me down and I hastily put my shoe back on. "Rosalie," I motioned hurriedly, "the _gift_! Alice wants to open everything in front of everyone!"

She frowned, "The gift?..._Oh_!" She understood now. "Don't worry, sweetie, leave it to me."

She went over to the tree and studied it for a moment, as if trying to figure out how best to get under there and to the gift in question. I was worried; if my dress was at risk of revealing too much, Rosalie's was definite. However…

With amazing grace and flexibility, she somehow managed to step around and duck below without actually bending over but simply crouching slightly and reaching. She came back to me with a smirk, the parcel tucked safely in her hand.

I gawked at her as she handed it to me. "How did you—"

But Emmett interrupted me. "Oh, you haven't seen _anything_ yet," he said, eyeing his trophy mate lustfully.

_Ok, nevermind that_, I thought, momentarily grossed out. Seriously, when it came to being intimate, I didn't know who was worse, mom and daddy or Emmett and Rosalie.

Rosalie was eyeing Emmett with a million things going through her eyes, but she managed to respond to me. "You should take that somewhere safe, Nessie."

I nodded, escaping to my room without need of any more excuses. I hastily stuffed the parcel into my underwear drawer and made my way back downstairs.

"Nessie!" cried Alice. "Lucky you, you get to unwrap the first present." She handed me a bag. I reached in and pulled out an exquisite designer purse—the most expensive one available probably—along with a card: _From Alice and Jasper, love you forever Nessie!_

I smiled. "Thanks you guys."

Alice beamed as Jasper lightly squeezed her shoulder, smiling at me.

The next gift was for Charlie, from my mom and dad…then for Emmett from Rosalie…

It went on for what seemed like eternity. I winced internally whenever a gift for Jake popped up and Alice simply moved it to the side for him to open later.

After my eleventh gift, I began to feel slightly uncomfortable; the wolves only received complimentary restaurant gift cards—Esme had thought of getting them last minute—and even my family each only received about four or five gifts each, one from their mate, one from each couple, and one from me. Apparently I was a spoiled brat.

Finally the last gift had been torn into and we were dismissed by Alice with a high pitched but very musical 'Merry Christmas!' I looked sadly at Jake's pile of presents—he had about four as well—and jumped slightly when a warm hand tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around to find Oliver blushing in front of me.

"Um, Renesmee, I wanted to give you your gift in private," he said quietly, almost asking permission; I could see why though, given our previous 'alone' time. I smiled at him, though I couldn't manage to display as much exuberance as I'd intended with Jake still on my mind.

"Good, so did I. Here, follow me," I said, taking him around the wrist and leading him up to my room. He slowed down as we passed my parents; I didn't miss the growl that came out of daddy's throat.

_We're just going to exchange presents! _

He gave me a look that said 'are you sure about that?' My mom suddenly pressed herself tighter to his side, throwing a look at him, trying to calm him down by distracting him.

_Ew_…but thanks, mom?

I dragged Oliver up the stairs, his feet seemed to slow us down as he threw glances down at my disgruntled father. Once in the safety of my room, however, he relaxed.

I laughed, "You never did tell me what exactly daddy did to you."

Oliver grimaced, recalling the painful memory, "It's better left like that, trust me." He then pulled something out of his pocket, keen on changing the subject. It was a tiny box, intricately wrapped; he placed it into my hand shyly with a barely audible 'I hope you like it.'

I opened it slowly, careful not to tear any of the paper. Removing the lid, I tipped the contents of the box into my hand, gasping when I saw what it was.

A necklace, a golden necklace that must've cost him a fortune!

"Oliver," I pleaded, "how did you afford this?"

He shrugged, "Oh don't worry, it's inherited. My mom gave it to me about a year ago, said to give it to someone special, someone I could see myself with twenty years from whenever I gave it to her."

I was dumbstruck. The necklace was beautiful, Oliver's words were beautiful…but…

"Oliver," I said timidly, "I think your mom meant like for when you want to marry someone, not just a silly first girlfriend kind of thing—"

He shushed me with his finger, taking my hands into his. "You're not just a silly first girlfriend, Renesmee, you're perfect, and I'm going to fight for you no matter what," he said, looking deep into my eyes.

I blinked, his words, the meaning behind them, sinking into me…the way he spoke…as if having me was a feat to overcome, as if someone would surely try to take me away…

Well, at least I knew he really did like me. It made my stomach flutter. I smiled coyly at him, "You're too sweet sometimes, you know that." He only grinned as he helped me clasp the necklace behind my neck.

I retrieved his gift from my drawer, handing it to him just as shyly. "I hope you like mine too."

He unwrapped the square object, his big hands surprisingly gentle with the delicate paper. His grin grew another mile when he saw it.

"Wow, Renesmee," he said, blurting out without thinking, "I hope your dad didn't see this 'cuz you look even hotter here!"

I blushed, taking the self portrait away for a second. "Don't say that," I muttered, my face growing hotter as I looked at myself in the small frame. Rosalie had taken me to get it taken, dressing me in one of her 'Rosalie' designs. I had on a blue low cut blouse—similar to the length I wore now but maybe a centimeter or two lower—with white capri's, my hair done loosely around my shoulders somewhat messily yet—according to Rosalie anyway—'sexy.' It really wasn't that bad, I mean, nothing compared to the way Rosalie dressed, but…it did make me look a bit prettier.

"I just look a little more grown up, that's all," I said, justifying my appearance in the photo one last time. Oliver snatched it back; apparently he was leaning more towards 'sexy.' I frowned, regretting it for a second; I didn't want him thinking I was some kind of slut…maybe I shouldn't have gone to Rosalie after all…

He rolled his eyes at me.

"Renesmee," he said, "You don't look _wrong_ like the way I know you're thinking. Sure, you're showing a little cleavage, but that's it! You look beautiful, Renesmee, like always," he said, kissing the photo meaningfully.

His words made my heart race and my body temperature rise significantly. "So, you like it then?"

He laughed, lifting me off and twirling me around, "Are you kidding? _I love it!"_

I laughed along with him, stifling a yawn at the same time. _When had I gotten sleepy?_

Oliver took it as a sign to put me down. "It is late, huh? I guess most of us will be leaving in a bit then." The thought saddened us both.

Sure enough, Tom came bounding into the room, his eyes flashing without reason when he saw we were alone.

"We're taking off, Oliver," he said. Oliver nodded and we followed him downstairs. I could feel my recent happiness fading away. I didn't want him to go.

Most of the wolves had already left, and Charlie, looking pretty exhausted as well, waited on the side to say his goodbye to me. I went over to him first, with a quick 'I love you grandpa' and then stood back to watch him take his leave. I wanted to save Oliver for last.

Tom wasn't being very cooperative, however; as the three of us walked outside onto the front porch, he turned around to face me. I hugged him, thanking him for coming and then turned towards Oliver. We both looked at Tom expectantly, but he pretended not to notice. Sighing, Oliver pulled me into a tight hug.

"Never forget what you mean to me, Renesmee," he whispered in my ear, kissing it right after. My heart swelled, but he pulled back before I could return the favor.

Just as they turned to leave, however, I called out to them, "If you guys see Jake, tell him to call me!"

The boys stopped and turned to wave one last time at me, Tom yelling out a quick 'Ok!'…I could've sworn Oliver's shoulders tensed…

I yawned again before making my way inside. I couldn't believe how sleepy I suddenly felt; I didn't even bother changing into my pajamas, simply lay on my bed and knocked out.

******************************Carlisle********************************

We waited for Nessie to clamber back up to her room before beginning the urgent discussion. Edward and Alice had something to tell us, but even without hearing any of it we all agreed we should wait for Nessie to fall asleep. We didn't wait long though, within five minutes of entering her room…

"Alright, let's talk." Said Edward.

We all focused on Alice, Edward standing to her right. I could feel the tension in the room as the first sentence escaped Alice's mouth.

"I had a vision."

Ok, so you know what to do now, review, review, review! I will update within the next twenty four hours (or much sooner, whichever comes first) so let me know what you think. Coming up next, finally, Jake's POV! Thanks.


	35. Revealed

Thank you to all my reviewers! Here's the next chapter, enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new little wolves in this story.

* * *

********************************Jane********************************

"So everything is going according to plan, yes?" I asked. The boy looked at me with the same gleam in his eyes.

"Yes, ma'am, and you were right, they figured we let them listen for a reason, so I'm guessing they're not rushing into any kind of defense just yet," he said, then added, "not that it would make a difference."

I smiled sweetly, "We will have them right where we want them then, dear brother, and master will be pleased, I'm sure of it."

Alec considered me for a second, but it was long enough for my eyes to blaze. "What is it?" I asked, annoyed with his doubt.

He hesitated, "Nothing much, Jane, but…what if the shape-shifter kills her first?"

I laughed in his face. "Nonsense, I _personally_ will make sure he never gets the chance."

*****************************Jacob************************************

After awhile I decided to make a u-turn back into the states, and from the looks of things…I'd say I was in New York, or near it anyway; I stared numbly at what I realized was Niagara Falls, so perhaps I was still on the Canadian side…

It was early morning, and the beauty of the falls only made my already diminished heart fade even more…this should have been a sight Nessie and I saw together, perhaps on one of our many vacations as a couple together…

I sighed. No point in making my situation worse with happy thoughts…I tried thinking about something else…my stomach suddenly rumbled.

Food.

I'd eaten quite a bit at the Cullen's house—again the sting of pain at the memory of Nessie's home—but my stomach didn't recall that. It's a wolf thing.

I searched my pockets, coming out with only my wallet, some spare change, three dollar bills, and the case holding the phone Alice had given me. Unfortunately for me my wallet only had my identification; I didn't own any credit cards.

_Great, I'm miserable, hungry, and broke_…but maybe…I opened the case, hopeful that Alice might've…

_Finally! Some good luck_! Having removed the case I found several very tightly rolled bills, four to be exact. The phone itself was very small, too small for this case. I removed one of the rubber bands from the first roll…

_Whoa! _

There were a mixture of bills, mostly hundreds, some thousands, and a few twenty's and fifty's…_Man, I must have about seven thousand or so in this single roll_…there were four so that left me with about twenty eight thousand, assuming they were more or less identical.

Damn, that was way too much money for just one person…unless…

I blinked back the new set of tears already spilling out of my sore eyes.

Unless I was going to be on my own for a very long time…

I took out a couple of twenties and rolled it back into a thin tube, using my strength to minimize its thickness.

Well, first things first. I made my way deeper into New York, doing my best to stay incognito amid the tourists. It baffled me how even this early there were already too many people for comfort. I guess its true what they say about New York being crowded. My big build and height didn't help, and so I let myself walk the tiniest bit faster towards some kind of food; I was hoping to find a fast food place, no need to spend all my money on overpriced fancy-tourist restaurant food. I found what I was looking for on Niagara Falls Boulevard: a Burger King.

I walked inside, letting my depressed state of mind swim drunkenly in the savory smell of grilled burger meat. The lady at the register looked at me with a slight frown as I she rang up an order worthy of feeding five people, but I just ignored her.

I sat down in a far corner, away from the only other customers, an elderly couple. I gazed at them, Nessie coming back to thought…imagining her beautiful face lighting up with the mere thought of sightseeing…

"Here you go, sir," a freckly girl came up to me, placing the full tray in front of me. She had red hair and a pretty smile. I noticed the eager way her eyes raked over my profile and couldn't help rolling my eyes. She walked away smiling, swinging her hips more than necessary and glancing back at least a couple of times before disappearing into the kitchen.

Stupid girl, as if I could ever see her like _that_.

I wolfed down my food, not even bothering to slow down for the sake of the humans. It was getting brighter outside, and more people were starting to bustle about. I pulled out the phone again, studying it and wishing Alice would call me soon.

The phone remained silent, however, and I felt my shoulders slump, tears threatening to escape yet again…after five minutes or so, I let them.

*************************Edward************************************

The air in the room was tense, the newly announced threat still lingering in all of our minds. Alice had spoken briskly, letting me answer the questions racing through my family's minds. It'd been about three minutes now and nobody had said a word. I narrowed my focus onto Carlisle's thoughts, knowing he'd want to go about things as non-violently and rationally as possible. Emmett finally broke the silence.

"Aw come on you guys," he said with a loud sigh, "we know the Volturri are behind this. Like Bella said, Jane is all the proof we need! I say we attack them before they even get the chance!"

I shook my head at him, but Carlisle spoke. "Emmett, Alice has already told us. The Volturri have shown no threat to us, so unless they do, our first blow will be motive enough to doom us all."

Emmett looked disappointed, muttering, "Not if we tear them apart first…"

"Well, thus far we may have stumped them. Remember, they're counting on Nessie's imprint to set her off," put in Alice.

Carlisle nodded. "Yes, sending him away was the right thing to do. I know Jacob, of all people, will have wanted to stay and defend Nessie, so with him gone, there is no imprint for this Jeanine character to focus in on."

I cut in. "That's not necessarily true, Carlisle. Jeanine may not be the one provoking Nessie into killing, from what Alice has seen, she is some kind of shield." My eyes immediately went to Bella, who growled.

Carlisle frowned. "But we don't know exactly how her shield works, it could be that she is immune to the wolves and thus Jacob would've never had a chance, making him the perfect bait for Nessie to defend."

I considered that for a moment…maybe…it made sense, but…

"Well, whatever we do we're going to have to consider all possibilities. Whether it's Jeanine or someone else, our number one priority should be keeping Nessie safe," interjected Jasper, his battle tone taking over. "And that means complete supervision. We will need to inform the wolves. Even if it's the case that Jeanine has some kind of shield against them, be it mentally or physically, they will undoubtedly aid us in battle should it deem necessary."

Bella agreed. "I'm with Jasper. If we can avoid this plan of theirs from even taking place, nobody will get hurt."

"So are you saying to keep Jacob away then, Bella?" I turned to her, asking the one question that I knew she'd hate to answer, that would tear Nessie apart.

She faltered, a torn expression on her face. "I'm not saying forever, Edward, just…for now. I hate to put the pressure on Alice," she turned to Alice, "but until you can see more of what they have planned, especially now with their key component gone, we need to do what's best for Nessie."

Alice nodded at her. "That's exactly what I was thinking, don't worry, I'll do my best."

A piercing scream suddenly rang from upstairs, and before anyone could say anything, Bella and I raced to Nessie's room.

* * *

Ok, this one's a bit short, but I'm going to be busy the rest of the night with work so I went ahead and posted what I have. Um…haven't received much feedback since like, Thursday, so let me know what you guys think, thanks.


	36. Unveiled

I'm a bit disappointed with the review stats, but I suppose many of you are doing finals/graduating/all that important stuff that comes at this time of the year…but, if you do like or have any suggestions for my story, please let me know. Anyway, thank you so much to my committed reviewers, you guys keep me going :) Ok, so to get to business, I apologize for not updating yesterday (working) but I didn't want to rush this particular chapter…you see, this is one of my favorite moments in my story (thus far planned) and I didn't want it to come out wrong; even now I'm not completely satisfied with it, but I'll let you all be the judge of that, so if you could please do me the favor and let me know what you think? Please review, lol, this is a crucial moment in my story and if I have to redo it, I will, so let me know, yeah?

Alright, well, here it is, chapter thirty six, read, review, and enjoy!

Again I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new faces in this story.

***************************Nessie*********************************

_There were flowers all around me, the night sky glimmering faintly with dozens and dozens of stars. The breeze made my hair fly up no matter what direction I turned to…I recognized the place, the dreaded field of Jake's doom, and yet…_

_I was alone. _

_For some reason this made it even scarier than the other times. I began to run, not knowing left from right or forward from back, only aware that something was terribly wrong here… until finally I saw something up ahead…trees. I ran into the trees, counting on my vampiric senses and my daddy's speed to take me swifter through the forest…it seemed like forever when I finally came into another clearing, or dead end, rather…a small piece of the beach, trees dotting the landscape. For some reason it seemed darker, the water a deadly black…I looked around, searching for the person I knew was supposed to be here with me, who usually was in this kind of dream…but Jake was nowhere within sight. I looked up into the sky, hoping to find comfort in something, be it the hope of stars…but I couldn't see anything, just more blackness…_

_A rustle behind made me whirl around, and I crouched low into a defensive stance, the way Jasper had often taught me to do in case of danger…but the figure coming out was a wolf. For some reason even my enhanced vision couldn't make out the exact size or color of the wolf…but I had a feeling I knew who it was...the same wolf always headed for danger to save me in these dreams… I hesitated but kept my stance, sensing there was something else out there, something bad…The wolf paused in the shadow of the trees' darkness, looking at me under lidded eyes, he limped just a few more feet… before finally collapsing._

"_Jake!" I cried, forgetting the dangerous presence still in the air. I ran over to the wolf, into the curtain of darkness, blindly wrapping myself around his neck. I could feel wet fur under my fingers…_

_Blood._

_Then I smelled something else…vampire. I swerved around, never releasing my hold on Jake's fur. The vampire came out slightly, laughing cruelly, a laugh I knew I would remember always, I growled at it…and then all of a sudden the wolf under me, Jake, leapt out of my arms and straight at the hidden shadow ahead of us._

"_No, Jake!" I screamed, but the wolf paid me no heed, lunging in for the attack. The vampire—I still couldn't see who it was—made no move to defend themselves…I heard a girl's laugh then, high and amused…_

_And then Jake fell._

"_Jake, no!" I made to run over, but before I could reach him, the shadow plunged headfirst into the cringing wolf's body, tearing into him for the death._

"_JAAAAAAAAAKE!"_

_I never wanted to kill anything so badly. I ran forward, launching myself onto the attacker, using all my strength and will to destroy it. The last thing I remember were its blood red eyes__._

…and then I woke up screaming…

"NOOOOOOOO!"

I bolted upright, bathed in perspiration and dread, my heart beating abnormally fast, my eyes taking in the surroundings of my room.

_It'd only been a nightmare, another horrible nightmare_…but…I remembered the girls cruel laugh, and the wolf on the floor being torn apart…my face was sticky with tears I didn't remember crying, and I knew I would never be able to go back to sleep if I didn't at least hear him.

_J__ake, my dear Jake. _

I leaped out of bed, my bare feet making no sound as I raced out the door…_Jake, I have to talk to Jake, I don't care how late it is, I don't care how rude it might be—_

And then I ran into daddy.

Confused, I looked up at him through my tear stained face, the little make up Alice had put on me stained down the corners of my eyes; I vaguely recalled that I was still wearing the celebration dress, that it was probably around three in the morning, that I even had on the necklace Oliver had given me, I recalled it all faintly, only to forget it completely at the look on my father's face.

His hands had caught me from the elbows, and he was peering at me closely now, almost frantically. I knew he could read all my thoughts, but I sent them to him anyway, grabbing a hold of the arms that already held me, showing him the horrible nightmare, Jake being attacked and being left to die. I showed him my urgent need to speak to Jake, how even though I knew it was late, and how I was probably being paranoid, I had to hear his voice, to know that he was safe.

_Please daddy_, I begged_, just let me call real quick, I won't take more than a minute I promise!_

But his lips remained closed…I repeated my thoughts again, not knowing what else to do, but after several minutes he still hadn't responded. I released my hold on his arms, looking at him questioningly…daddy stayed quiet, studying me carefully with a strange expression on his face, an expression that seemed familiar and yet I couldn't quite place when I'd seen it before…

_Why wasn't he saying anything?_

I made to get away from him, not understanding his silence and not wanting to understand. All I could think of was Jake.

But daddy wouldn't let me go. I stared at him with my mouth dropped, purposefully pulling away to show him what I wanted…but his hands only locked onto my arms even tighter…it annoyed me, and I finally spoke aloud.

"Daddy, let me go," I said, my voice still somewhat strangled from having just woken up. He simply nodded his head at me…no. My irritation turned into anger. _Couldn't he see that I needed to talk to Jake? I knew that it was stupid and paranoid on my part, but it's not like anything bad could come from a simple phone call?_

"Let me go!" I demanded, "I need to call Jake!"

"No, Nessie," he finally spoke, looking at me with that same expression. I turned to look back at him, my eyes blazing with anger.

_No? Did he just tell me no!_

I glared at him, ignoring the pained look that contributed to that already strange yet familiar expression, and again, tried pushing past him down the rest of the stairs. The need to hear Jake, his groggy voice indicating I'd woken him up out of sheer stupidity and paranoia…that was the only thing I could think of. I struggled against his iron grip, barely aware of the seven other vampires downstairs, watching the scene in horror. My eyes brimmed with tears, and I forced them away, anger beseeching me to get my way…_why wasn't daddy letting me go?_

"Nessie," he said softy, but I refused to look at him, moving my arms urgently to get out of his clutch. I resisted with more aggression against his bonds, feeling something in my stomach begin to compress tightly, the fear from my nightmare threatening to resurrect. Daddy continued trying to get my attention but I ignored him, moving my body, twisting it, trying everything and anything to get away.

And then he yelled at me, louder than he'd ever yelled at me before.

"RENESMEE!"

I stopped struggling, looking into his panicked face through burning eyes…_Daddy NEVER yelled at me…_

"I'm sorry for yelling, Nessie," he began, speaking in a slightly softer voice, but I could see concern in his golden eyes, I could see_… regret, sadness, fear_...

"But I need for you to listen to me very carefully," he continued…_caution, panic, despair_…

_That expression_…it was familiar because I _had_ seen it before…

"Renesmee," he said my name again, urging me to look directly at him, but my thoughts had travelled back to two years ago…

"Sweetie, try to calm down," he was saying.

…_when the threat of the Volturri had plagued us, all of us, my parents especially…_

"You can't call Jake at Billy's, Nessie," said daddy.

…_.mommy and daddy's expressions of utter fear and worry, for the future of our family, for my safety…_

It clicked in my head, and I knew now why that strange expression on daddy's face seemed familiar; it was the same expression from two years ago, the same expression foretelling something horrible to come, something dangerous… Somewhere in the back of my mind I noticed mom coming up to stand beside him…_to block the way out?_…I looked into daddy's eyes again, waiting for what I knew had gone from my simple need to hear Jake into something much more terrible; my stomach wrenched dreadfully from the anticipation…_they weren't letting me pass…they'd intercepted my phone call at the exact moment…Jake had left without saying goodbye…_

"Nessie," he said carefully, too carefully, the sole finality of the way he said my name making my heart fail for a second. I knew something was wrong, and yet a small part of me stayed stubbornly in the dark, refusing to acknowledge the clear signs of bad news…_Why was he talking like that? In that cautious voice?_

"I need you to calm down and _listen_ to me."

I nodded, but my heart began to pick up pace, the rebellious little girl in me having no choice but to accept the inevitable; _something was definitely not right, something to do with Jake, why else would this be happening to me right now?_

"You need to know," he continued, in the same vigilant voice, "that Jacob is safe, ok?"

_What? Jake was safe? Why would he be in danger?_ My nightmare jumped vividly to mind and I looked at daddy in panic, asking what I already knew the answer to.

_He's not at Billy's, is he?_

He studied me for a long second, and I forced my mind to think calmly, rationally; it was the best way to think when daddy was involved, if I showed any weakness, any attempt of fleeing, he would continue to lie to me, they all would…finally he spoke.

"No, Jacob is not at Billy's."

My 'calm' moment faded like the stars in a fog and I began to cry, sobbing like a child, like the little two year old I should've been if I'd been a normal human; everything I'd been thinking upon waking up from the dream, from that horrible, horrible dream, came crashing down on me. My eyes became blurry, and I struggled to find my voice again.

"Where is he?" I asked, a stranger's voice coming out of my own.

Pain crossed his features, and this time it was mom who answered, her voice begging, pleading, crying only the way a vampire could cry, for me to understand.

"Alice had a vision, sweetheart, of a plan. Jake was going to be attacked and you were going to kill someone to try to save him, it's part of the plan, he was supposed to be bait for you to be incriminated…if we hadn't sent Jake away, it could've meant something very dangerous for you. It's better this way, they have no way of tracking him so he's perfectly fine, and most importantly, without him as bait, you'll be safe."

_Wait…what? _I stared at her in disbelief…_sent Jake away?...but…danger for me…a vision?_...nothing was making sense. _Perfectly fine? Use him as bait and yet he was perfectly fine? HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO UNDERSTAND THAT?_

"Where is he though?" I asked again, glaring now at mom, anger taking over my stranger's voice.

"Nessie," daddy again, his hold on me reflexively getting tighter, "we…we don't know. If the Volturri are behind this, it's better that we don't know where he's at, it will keep him safe. You need to trust us, Nessie, it's the best way to keep you safe, don't worry about Jake, he can take care of himself—"

I almost laughed bitterly at them.

Trust _them_? After all the lies they simply wanted me to _trust_ them? I was no longer capable of _understanding_.

"So he's gone?" I interrupted, my voice shaking, anger betraying my feigned tranquility, "He's gone because of _my safety_?"

Alice was suddenly behind mom. "Not just because of you Nessie, please, try to understand. Getting to you might be a means of getting to our entire family, but for now it's what's best for you, to keep you saf—"

"TO KEEP ME SAFE!" I yelled, not able to contain myself any longer. "YOU SENT HIM AWAY BY HIMSELF BECAUSE IT'S WHAT'S BEST FOR ME!"

"Renesmee—" mom pleaded, but I ignored her.

"HOW COULD YOU?" I screamed, the tears rolling down without pause, uncontrollably down my face. "JAKE IS GOING TO DIE BECAUSE YOU THINK IT'S FOR MY OWN GOOD!"

"No, Nessie, that's no—"

"LET GO OF ME!" I jerked away from daddy, the anger, the horrible truth, giving me strength like I'd never known before. Before he could grab me again I pushed through Alice and mom down the rest of the stairs. I knew the rest of my family would try to stop me, lie to me some more…but not if I could help it.

"NESSIE!"

"STOP!"

"HE'S FINE, NESS, I PROMISE!"

"RENESMEE!"

But I didn't hear any of it, I only had one thing in mind: reach the door and find Jacob. I past Carlisle…knocked over Esme…tackled Rosalie…evaded Emmett…

Jasper was last, and I growled angrily as I found an inexplicable power in me that left even Jasper on the ground. I was out the door, racing away from my home, my home that was never really home without the one person I knew I'd love for all eternity, my Jacob Black, my Jake, I would find him, I would rescue him if I had to, just like in my nightmare; if having Jake by my side meant my peril, then so be it, I had no life if Jake wasn't a part of it, if anything happened to him…my tears blinded me even further…_no, I wouldn't let it, the fiend that tried to stop me would die!_

I raced away through the trees, not knowing where I was going but knowing who I was going to. I had to find him, it all just made too much sense; _my nightmare, my being in danger, Jake being the one to die_…I wasn't going to just sit back and let it happen, and if my own family got in the way…then I would fight them too.

Branches whipped out in front of me, trees looming taller than usual, and I could no longer see the stars. I ran, using all of daddy's speed to take me faster, farther, away from being 'safe' without Jake. _How could they not see it? I could never be safe without my Jacob_…I was already at the river, and so I jumped early, knowing I'd make it clear across with ease…I landed like a cat, soundless, pausing for the smallest second before surging forward to put more distance between myself and that empty house…but then…

I felt my feet go out from under me as soft, strong arms lifted me up and hoisted me into their embrace. I struggled, crying out aimlessly and desperately for them to let me go, but he ignored me, taking me back the way I'd come from, back to my home but not home, away from ever finding my sun, my moon, my best friend…I struggled against my father, biting and scratching, kicking and hitting him wherever I could. _Couldn't he see how important Jake was to me?_

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" I screamed, fighting and flailing in his arms. He struggled with me, unable to run any further with my constant assaults. I fought relentlessly, attacking him with everything I could muster, attacking my daddy…

I heard mom's voice, having caught up to us. "Renesmee, _please_, you're hurting Edward, _you're hurting your father_!" she begged, grabbing my hands in her own. "Jake is fine, I just know it! He's just not here, that's all," she tried convincing me, but I continued to struggle.

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, I NEED HIM! HE'S EVERYTHING TO ME, MORE THAN EVEN YOU BOTH! AND IF I DON'T FIND HIM, HE—HE'S _GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF YOU!_" I yelled shrilly. I had no room for logic, for listening, only necessity, urgency, for Jake.

"Renesmee, no one is going to die!" daddy yelled, struggling but never really defending himself against my rage. Mom finally got a good grip on me and together she and daddy hauled me the rest of the way back. All the while I screamed and cried. When we finally got back Emmett locked me into his superhuman strength, holding me tightly against his chest whilst I used the last of my energy and more to try and escape.

"_He's going to die_!" I tried screaming, my voice hoarse from all the yelling. "_Please, mom, daddy, you have to let me go! If we hurry, I'm sure we can catch up to him, get his scent! Then he could come home! You can come too if you want!_" I added, trying to change course, anything that might help me. "Just _please_…" they looked at me with pain on their faces, and I knew I was going to lose…

"I'm sorry, Nessie," mom came over to me, wiping the tears that flowed relentlessly down my cheeks, "but we're only trying to keep you safe. Jake is trying to keep you safe, you understand?"

"But—but," I stammered, more tears flowing down, soaking my already wet dress, "but I _need_ him! I—_I love him_! Like you could never understand!" I beseeched them.

My family looked at me sadly, variations of 'It's going to be ok' and 'Jake's going to be fine' coming from each of them, but I could barely see them, barely hear their empty promises…

I had slumped into a shapeless heap on the floor as I realized the full extent of what everyone had been trying to tell me.

_Jake was gone._

He was gone and even if I tried looking for him I wouldn't find him…nobody knew where he was, and…I knew Jake too well, if he knew my safety was at risk, he would make sure nobody knew where he was, even the wolves…and there was no telling how long it'd be till I saw him again…if I _ever_ saw him again…

Emmett had already let me go, and I felt the reassuring embrace of my mother, Bella, and the soothing musical voice of my father, Edward, but it wasn't enough to keep the tears from flowing, it would never be enough…and so I cried, cried like the child I'd never really been, cried for the moon that gave me light amongst any darkness…I could feel my heart breaking, slowly and painfully, into a meaningless object, into nothingness…I knew then that I hadn't been lying when I said I loved him, because I did; I couldn't explain how, or why, but I loved Jake in a way I would never love anyone else, a special love that made him completely mine, and I his, and I knew he loved me too, had always loved me, even now he'd only been waiting for me to realize it, only I'd realized it too late… now he was gone.

Ok everyone, please, please, please review! This chapter is very important to me and I would really appreciate it :) . What did you think of the big unveiling? Of Nessie's epiphany? What will happen next? What about Oliver? Thanks so much for reading, and reviewing (those who have) my story, I will try updating by tomorrow again, so until then, thanks!


	37. Misery

Ugh, work has been keeping me busy so this update might go up later than I planned, sorry. However, I want to thank you all so much for reviewing! Like I said, chapter thirty six is one of my favorite moments and the review count, though a bit slow lol, was great, so thanks everyone, you're what's making me want to finish :) I have gotten several requests to bring Jacob back so he and Nessie can kiss and all that good stuff, but…I can't do that quite yet, I'm sorry (please don't hate me!) but there's a reason for all the events in this story…Just have patience lol. Alright here's the next chapter, read, review, and enjoy!

To those that are not aware, I of course do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

**********************Jasper*********************************

Of all my years as a vampire, I'd never felt a mind whose emotions I couldn't alter. Nessie was miserable. Today was Christmas day and her whole life had just crashed down on her. She hadn't moved from where she'd fallen onto the floor this morning, simply sat there facing the front door, staring absentmindedly at the door, her bare feet smudged with dirt from running away last night and her hair and dress unkempt.

Emmett had suggested we call Jacob right away, if only to calm her down a bit, but Edward and I had countered. I could sense that she still considered going out and looking for him, be it my ability to sense her emotions or my history in scheming that told me so; Edward justified my suspicions, he was keeping vigilant records of her thoughts. If she so much as had a vague idea of where he might be, she would be gone in an instant. We decided to wait a while then…though it wasn't looking good.

As for the 'plan' we decided to wait some more as well, which basically meant it was all up to Alice. I kept a wary on my little one as she strained her mind, searching for anything that might reveal to us more of Jane and Alec's part in this whole ordeal. She'd been watching the Volturri very carefully as well, but nothing out of the ordinary had come up yet. The Jeanine character was another matter to consider. If Carlisle's theory about her being a threat to the wolves was correct…then I was quite sure we'd have to change course. I'd been very particular when revealing my thoughts to Edward…

"_You understand why we'd have to bring Jacob back if Jeanine really is that dangerous?" I said._

_But Edward shook his head aggressively at me. "Bringing him back is only going to speed up Nessie's risk of entrapment. It's better that he's out of reach, no one can reach him that way, not even them."_

"_But Edward, don't you think they'd be ready for something like what we're doing? You saw how they directly showed us the main part of their plan?" I beckoned._

_Edward could see what I was getting at though, and his eyes flashed angrily. "I understand you're thinking of this tactfully, Jasper, but thus far this is the safest accommodation for Nessie, and I will NOT have the safety of my daughter be further risked by a mere theory!"_

…

I sighed. Edward was thinking as a father would, and I couldn't blame him…but…if Jacob were here and we caught them—whoever besides Jane, Alec, and Jeanine 'them' was—in the midst of their plan…but I knew Edward would never go for it, the same way he hadn't even considered Bella being used as bait back when she was human and Victoria's army would attack.

Bella and Edward had left earlier in search of Sam. They were going to fill the wolves in on everything, including sending Jacob away…

A small sigh made me turn back to the little half-vampire slumped on the floor. Nessie had rearranged her position and was now sitting Indian style with her hands on her face, obviously forgetting she still had a dress on…

"Um, Alice?" I said quietly. Alice blinked before coming out of her trance. She looked up at me annoyed for interrupting, but I nudged my head towards our miserable, unaware of anything little niece. Alice's face was one of torture when she saw the mangled figure that was Nessie, and she quickly made her way over. Rosalie, who'd been casting frequent glances towards her as well, followed.

Without words Alice lifted Nessie off the ground, holding her under her back and knees and carried her off to her room. Nessie didn't struggle at all, she just closed her eyes and nuzzled her face into Alice's chest.

***********************Esme********************************

I'd tried several times to convince my poor granddaughter to eat something for breakfast, or to at least go upstairs to change into something more comfortable, but she'd only looked at me like I was speaking in some foreign language. It broke my heart. Carlisle had tried reasoning with her as well, in his most compassionate voice, but to no avail. Nessie was just too heartbroken.

I watched as Alice and Rosalie took her upstairs, her silent sobs echoing through my ears. No grandma liked seeing their only grandchild suffering this much, I needed to do something! I made to follow the three girls upstairs but Carlisle stopped me, grabbing me tenderly around the waist.

"No dear," he said to me softly, "Nessie will want to be alone. Alice and Rose will only be up there for a second. Edward is keeping an eye on her."

"I know," I said, moving away from him, "but I have to do something." And with that, I followed.

*******************************Nessie*******************************

I still couldn't believe it. Jake was gone. No matter how many times I told myself that, I imagined him coming through the door with that incredible smell, that amazing 'everything is going to be alright' smile, ready to pick me up and twirl me around before plopping a huge wet kiss on my forehead. I imagined the look on his face when I revealed to him my revelation, how I understood now why he was so jealous of Oliver, how it was supposed to be me and Jake all along, how he'd probably lift me up and kiss me, a sensation I would undoubtedly love…

But he didn't come.

Several of my family members had tried approaching me, speaking meaningless and empty words. _As if I needed breakfast now? As if changing out of my dress would make any difference?_ Rosalie had offered me the phone at one point, something about Oliver wanting to wish me a merry Christmas, but I'd just ignored her. Oliver was the last person on my mind at the moment…though I knew I would have to have a talk with him as well.

Someone lifted me up, and I looked up for a second into Alice's petite face. Rosalie was alongside her and they took me up to my room. I didn't struggle, _what was the point_?

"Alright, Ness," said Alice, "I know you're hurting, sweetie, but you need to get out of those clothes—"

"And a shower might be good for you too," chimed in Rosalie, dabbing at my stained face with a wet cloth.

"Yes, you're hair is already way too tangled—" Alice again, then—

"_Oh, Nessie, what a beautiful necklace!"_

"I don't know how I didn't notice it before, where'd you ge—"

I began to cry all over again, shoving away from my aunts. They immediately stopped gushing over the stupid necklace and hesitated. I brought my knees up to cover my face as the tears poured out. _Why didn't they understand that I didn't care about showering, or my hair, or even the stunning necklace, all I cared about was my Jake!_

"Nessie, we did—"

"_Just leave me alone_," I said through muffled sobs. I didn't want anyone trying to cheer me up. If Jasper, who'd obviously been trying to change my emotions all day, couldn't do it then there was no hope.

"Ok dear." Rosalie said softly, patting me on the back. I didn't even hear them leave the room, or the soft thud of the door closing behind them, but I knew I was alone.

_Just like I'd always be as long as Jake wasn't around… _

I sighed, looking up into my empty room…I knew Alice and Rosalie meant well, and yet here I was being a little brat about everything…I didn't _really_ want to be alone…but I didn't want them trying to cheer me up either, as if everything were going to be ok, I mean_, they didn't even know where he was?_

_How could I 'pretend' to be happy? How could I look at the 'positive' side of things when there was no positive side? No…I didn't want anyone 'cheering' me up…_

A light knock on the door and a soft voice made my ears perk up.

"Sweetie, it's Esme…can I come in or would you rather be alone?"

I hesitated for a moment…_Esme, the caring and devoted mother of our family, the heart and soul that held us together_…then I ran towards the door and into my grandma's arms.

"_Oh Esme!_" I sobbed, the helpless child again, but my caring grandma simply stroked my hair and carried me to my bed, never saying a word but saying everything with her silence.

I think that's the best comfort I could've had.

**************************Jacob**********************************

All the happy faces, kids and stupid couples alike, were REALLY getting on my nerves. I mean, I knew it was Christmas day, but did everyone _really_ have to be all happy and excited? It was so unfair…

I'd spent most of the day just walking around, not really knowing what to do. I figured New York was a good place to stay, at least for a while…lots of people, lots of hot dog vendors, too busy for a werewolf…I'd been constantly checking the phone for any missed calls or texts, but every time I looked I knew it was a lost cause. There was one instant when a girl about Nessie's age, with the same color hair, walked by me…I almost started crying all over again; I'd even pulled out the phone, tempted to call Bella, just one quick, simple little phone call…but I knew I couldn't.

_It was just so frustrating!_ I'd been gone what? Not even twenty four hours and I was already a blubbering mess! And for what? Because of some jerks intent on using me somehow to endanger my Ness…_It just wasn't fair_! I suddenly felt a small tap on my shoulder. I whirled around, the anger still quite visible on my face…only to see a pretty Asian girl staring at me with a now frightened expression.

"What?" I growled. She stuttered, muttering inaudibly and looking down.

I tried calming down, if at least slightly. "Excuse me, _miss_, but I can't hear you." Even then I still managed to growl…

"I was just wondering if—if you were singl—oh nevermind," and with that she fled.

It took me a moment to figure out that the girl's intentions had been to hit on me…_what was it these human girls? Seriously!_

Suddenly, my phone rang. I had it out in a second, pausing slightly to see who finally had some news for me…then I paused another second…it was…_Rosalie_.

Alright, not too exciting, but hang tight, I'll be uploading the next chapter really soon. Coming up, an interesting turn of events concerning our two 'favorite' siblings, probably an even more interesting phone conversation, and Oliver decides to visit…uh oh! So please review and I will update sooner, thanks!


	38. Aaawww!

Alright, thus far the reviews I've gotten are more interested in Rosalie's phone call, haha, and I am too! So here it is, along with another Emmett POV (cuz, admit it, he's just so hilarious!) and another event having to do with the 'plan'…I'll go ahead and apologize ahead of time for the confusion it's going to cause, but it will all make sense in the end, I promise. Thank you so much for the reviews, they keep me going :) so enough of my ranting, here's the next chapter, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work (obviously), solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

***********************Jacob*******************************

"H—hello?" I spoke awkwardly into the receiver. _Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't Rosalie…maybe Alice couldn't find her phone and took Rosalie's instead_…? But the stony voice that responded threw that thought out the window…_great_…

"Jacob," answered Barbie in a hushed voice, somehow managing to express her loathing for me regardless—_wait did she just call me by my name_?— "It's Rosalie."

_Well duh? _I wanted to say to her, but—

"Don't talk, just listen," she ordered, "Edward doesn't think we should contact you yet, and Alice is a bit busy to try convincing him otherwise, but I thought you deserved to know what exactly is going on."

_WHAT?_ Of all people—or vampires—_Barbie_ was the one sneaking away to clue me in?...I would've expected Bella to do something like this, or anyone else in the Cullen household, but _BARBIE_?

"Uh…Ok?" I said stupidly. I was still too stunned to manage anything else.

"Don't worry, Edward can't hear me right now, he and Bella went to inform the rest of your pack of the situation," she comforted—_did I just say comforted_?—"though he's going to be quite angry with me afterwards…"

_Ok, Rosa__l__ie was going to risk being chewed out by the scary daddy vampire just because 'I deserved to know what was going on?_'…_this was just getting too weird…_

"Alice's vision had to do with some kind of plan. So far there's been no mention of the Volturri, however, Jane and Alec are involved—"

"Wait up, aren't those the brother and sister that were in the guard? Isn't that proof enough that the Volturri's behind it?" I interrupted. She made an exasperated noise.

"What did I say about _talking_?" she hissed—_ok, so maybe she was still an ice queen_—"Some of us thought the same thing, but there's not enough evidence to prove it and a head on attack would give the Volturri reason to implicate us all."

"Oh, so then what's this plan?"

"_Will you let me finish_?" another hiss. "The basic idea is to use Nessie's imprint, which would be you, as some kind of bait. I don't know how exactly it would go, but if their plan works then Nessie would have killed someone to save you—"

"Kill what exactly? Another precious vampire?" I interrupted, getting angry. _That was why they'd sent me away? I was a werewolf for crying out loud! I could kill one measly vampire in seconds!_

"_Shut up you stupid mutt_?" she yelled at me. I heard silence from the other end…_crap, I pissed her off and they heard her_…then her voice came back onto the line. "There's more. Alice heard something about a new vampire, her name is Jeanine. According to what she's heard so far, Jeanine has some kind of shield power, and we believe that's what's kept us unaware of this plan for so long. Either way we have yet to know exactly how it works."

"Yeah, so?" I asked. _Seriously, what did that have to do with me tearing a vampire apart? I could always call my pack if I needed help_—

"Jacob Black if you interrupt me _one_ more time I will hang up this phone right now," she growled.

"Ok, ok, sorry." I said hurriedly. I could tell it was taking all of her control to keep from going off on me.

"Think about it," she continued, "If you can't call your pack for help, for whatever reason, and you're fighting a losing battle with Nessie around, what would she do?"

_Fighting a losing battle….no help available… Nessie close by_…It dawned on me then. Nessie may not love me the way I loved her, but she still loved me…and if it were _me_ in _her_ shoes…

"She'd jump into the fight," I finished quietly.

"Exactly, thus implicating her," Rosalie answered, muttering to the side—though I heard anyway—'so he _does_ have a brain.'

"But," I spoke again, "what does that mean then? That I have to stay away..._forever_?" I heard my own voice crack on that last word, and though a small part of me thought 'great now she's going to have that on me too' the bigger part in me was only thinking of how long forever really was.

"Don't be so dramatic," Rosalie said, her temper somewhat quelled—probably from my misery—"it's what's best for Nessie, and you know it. Besides, with you temporarily gone, they might have to come at us from another angle. Alice is monitoring what she can, so for now we just wait."

Just wait…_until when? I just had to sit here and do nothing while some evil vampires planned on how best to incriminate my Nessie?_

I was about to retort angrily when Barbie continued. "I understand that this is very difficult for you, Jacob, and trust me, Nessie is also taking it very hard, but—"

"Nessie knows?" I asked, my face paling.

She hesitated. "Yes, she wasn't supposed to find out this soon, but she woke up from a nightmare or something like that and—oh nevermind, the point is she knows, and she is absolutely miserable without you. Yes, I can't believe it myself, but she misses you direly."

I slumped onto a rock wall behind me. "So," I began again, "let me get this straight. Some evil vamps are out to incriminate Nessie, which would be a means of getting to all of you I'm thinking, and they plan on using me to get to her, and so by sending me away we've somewhat stalled them, so now we're just counting on Alice's sight for some kind of hint on what to do next? Oh yeah, and there's also another evil gifted vampire involved that could be my ultimate crippling?"

"Yes, something like that." Rosalie sighed.

I remained silent on the other end, more worried about Nessie then anything else… "So," I said finally, "why are you telling me all this? Don't get me wrong, I appreciate it, especially coming from you, but…you hate me!"

She laughed coolly on the other end. "Oh, don't you worry, dog, I still loathe you will all that I am, but the main reason no one has contacted you yet is because of Nessie. If she so much as suspects where you might be, she'd be after you in a second. At least that's what Edward says, but I don't think that's true, she's a big girl and brilliant beyond her years. I called you for two reasons, both having to do with her. One, to fill you in, Nessie wouldn't want you completely clueless, and two, to let Nessie know you were safe and sound."

"So, they weren't even going to fill me in?" I asked.

"Oh they were, they just wanted to get some more information before calling you. But I figure, what's the point? Might as well just call him now, right?" she said, I could almost picture her arrogant shrug at ignoring someone else's orders. Edward really was going to chew her head off when he found out she'd called me…"Alice will probably call you sometime soon. When she does I think you'll be able to speak with Nessie, if Edward and Jasper see it befitting."

"Oh, I see," I said uncomfortably, "well, uh, I guess thanks then, Barb—I mean, Rosalie."

She snorted. "Don't get all nicey-nice with me. I did this mainly for Nessie, the poor girl is lost without you, though I can't understand why. Still though, I hate you just as much, don't worry."

Without thinking, I smiled. "Yeah, I hate you too." I could almost see her smile too before I heard a 'click' and she hung up.

*****************************Emmett*******************************

Walking into our room I was surprised to see Rose sitting in a corner on the floor on the phone speaking in a hushed voice. I gaped at her, and still she didn't notice my presence…_whoa, something's not right here_…Rosalie NEVER sits on the _floor_! 

"—_oh nevermind, the point is she knows, and she is absolutely miserable without you. Yes, I can't believe it myself, but she misses you direly."_

_Double whoa! _Edward was going to kill her for calling Jacob! I snuck closer to her, all the while listening intently to the conversation.

"_So,why are you telling me all this? Don't get me wrong, I appreciate it, especially coming from you, but…you hate me!"_

Alright, that was definitely Jacob…

Rose laughed. Did I hear correctly? _She laughed?_

"_Oh, don't you worry, dog, I still loathe you will all that I am, but the main reason no one has contacted you yet is because of Nessie. If she so much as suspects where you might be, she'd be after you in a second. At least that's what Edward says, but I don't think that's true, she's a big girl and brilliant beyond her years. I called you for two reasons, both having to do with her. One, to fill you in, __Nessie wouldn't want you completely clueless, __and two, to let Nessie know you were safe and sound."  
_

Oooh! I was going to have a field day with this! Rose was actually calling the 'mongrel' against Edward's orders! Even Bella had been against it…I realized, almost nostalgically, that Rose might not want to have sex with me after I was through with her, but…_this was just too sweet a deal to pass up!_

"_I hate you just as much, don't worry."_

Rose said, then—

"_Yeah, I hate you too."_

Again Jacob, though I could swear, from the way he said it, that Rose had made him smile.

Now _that_ was a once in a lifetime moment!

I grinned from ear to ear as she hung up the phone and got up from the floor, turning around with a small smile on her face and her eyes cast downward onto the phone—_which only made the whole thing even better_!—she still hadn't seen me.

I couldn't hold it any longer.

"AAAWWWW! ROSE YOU'RE SUCH A SOFTIE!" I crooned going over to her in one quick step and squeezing her into a bone crunching hug. She jumped with surprise, calming down only slightly when she realized it was me, her big lovable teddy bear and not someone else—_like Edward, haha! He's so going to murder her!_ --I pulled her head into my chest, muffling her protests and messing up her hair.

"And to think that all this time I thought you were this hot, hardcore, heartless beauty queen. And then I catch you doing _this_?" I laughed, giving her a bit more space in my arms. She lifted her face up at me, her eyes blazing.

"Shut up, Emmett?" she hissed at me. "Do you want Edward killing me all the sooner?"

I waved a hand dismissively. "Ah, don't worry about him. This is too hilarious to kill over, and what's more, my Rose has a sensitive side for _Jacob Black_!"

"SHUT UP!" she yelled, punching me in the chest. I wasn't ready for it and keeled over; she quickly unlocked herself from my embrace and ran over to the mirror to fix her hair.

Typical Rose.

I flopped onto the bed and watched my hot spouse angrily comb her hair and throw evil glances at me. _How could anyone not think I was the luckiest guy around?_

"So babe," I said, "should I be worried about Jake? You know all this time I thought you hated him, but it turns out it was one of those reverse psychology things, you know. Love those that you hate, or something like tha—_hey_!" I laughed, as she threw the brush in her hand straight at my head. Her face held a look of absolute disgust.

"If you EVER say something like that, Emmett Cullen, you're going to regret it very dearly!" she snarled at me. "I only did it for Nessie, and nothing more!"

I ignored her, reciting aloud in a high pitched voice, "_I hate you just as much, don't worry._" Then in a manly voice, "_I hate you too."_ And then I pretended to hang up an invisible phone, smiling ridiculously with my eyes rolling upward and my lashes batting like crazy.

The next thing I knew I was pinned onto the floor with a very annoyed Rosalie on top of me.

I grinned mischievously at her. "Hey now, babe, if you wanted me that bad right now you could've just asked, no need to surprise me." Her eyes grew even wider as she snarled at me...but of course I just laughed. "OOooh, you know I like it when you get rough," I teased.

She slapped me across the face, then spoke to me in a soft voice. "I can't believe you! We're in the middle of a crisis here, I'm trying to do something nice for our dilapidated niece, and all you can think of besides making fun of me is _sex_!"

I probably should've stopped right there…but…

"Hmmm, you do have a point…I'm sorry, Rosalie. You're absolutely right, like always. Will you forgive me, my beautiful queen?" I asked her, putting on my best puppy dog face. She hesitated for a moment, getting lost in my adorable eyes, no doubt…

I made my move…or tried to. As soon as I made to wheel her around so that I was on top of her…

"Ha! Don't even think about it, _sweetie_," she purred. She'd countered my little trick with a quick flick of her wrist, bounding my feet and hands in her two hands and slamming me onto my stomach. I groaned. _Since when did she become all 'pro-wrestler?'_

"Now," she whispered into my ear, "I'm already going to get chewed out by Edward. If you so much as _think_ about what you heard, or any other disgusting and ridiculous thoughts involving," she wrinkled her nose in disgust, "_Jacob_ and I even being friendly!...You won't get any of _me_ for a VERY long time."

I blinked. _Damn, she had me_…I smiled at her, grimacing slightly as she pushed my face back into the carpet.

"You got it sweetheart," I managed to say, though the plush of the carpet restricted my coherency.

"Good."

She released me and went back to the mirror. I got up slowly, eyeing her up and down, and massaging where she'd held me with my right hand…_damn_, she'd really hurt me this time…_what a woman!_

**************************Alice*************************************

I had already sifted through Aro, Caius, and Marcus' futures but came up with nothing. Jane and Alec were another difficult task, they kept changing their minds so much I couldn't tell what they were planning at all! Edward had asked me to try locating the Jeanine girl, but of course nothing came out of that either.

It was all so frustrating! I felt like I was looking at blind spots all over again, which only justified my theory that Jeanine had similar qualities of a hybrid, or whoever else was involved...I was vaguely aware of Jasper by my side, massaging my temples every now and then and keeping me relaxed. Good old Jasper, I don't know what I would do without him…

Then suddenly it hit me.

It was the most unexpected and irrational decision…yet it could also mean…

I looked up into Jasper's worried face, my jump having startled him as well.

"What it is, Alice? What did you see?" he asked urgently, kneeling down so that we were eye level. He could see the flitting emotions crossing my mind…confusion, surprise, and…hope…

"Jane and Alec," I said carefully, "they've decided to quit the Volturri guard."

Sorry for the sudden ending to this chapter, and also for not including Oliver yet. It was just getting too long—I was having too much fun with Emmett's part hehe—but Oliver will be in the next chapter for sure. What do you all think though? Jane and Alec quitting? What could that mean? That they failed in their 'plan'? Or…let me know what you all think please? I won't update the next chapter till probably tomorrow, but if I get enough reviews—even if you hated it!—I might update early in the morning :) so review, review, I want to know your thoughts!( in a totally nonEdward way though lol). Thanks!


	39. Leftovers

I'm on a mission to update! Ha! As promised, here is Oliver. I know most of you are Team Jacob, but maybe some of you will feel the tiniest bit of compassion for our smaller than average twin wolf?...Again, thank you so much to all my reviewers, I feel like the luckiest person every time I hear from you all :). Ok so, you know the routine, read, review and enjoy! Thanks.

***********************Oliver***********************************

"_Sorry, dear, she's not feeling too well right now, but I'll have her call you back as soon as she is_," the female voice said to me. I answered meekly with a 'kay' and hung up. For some reason I felt ill at ease. Renesmee wasn't feeling sick last night, so why was she now?...Unless it had to do with the food…but there was no way food that delicious could cause sickness…_It's Christmas day for crying out loud! And I can't even say 'Merry Christmas' to my girlfriend?_

Something was not right, and I was going to find out what it was.

************************Edward**************************************

"What could it mean though?" I asked myself again. I had just seen all of Alice's recent vision. It almost seemed too good to be true. If Jane and Alec really were out of the guard, then were they still going through with their plan?...If the Volturri weren't behind it then there would be reason for them to _not_ go through with it, but if the Volturri really were behind it…_had we actually stumped them by sending Jacob away?_

I shook my head no for the millionth time. It was just too easy a victory, there had to be some ulterior motive for them just quitting like that!

"We might want to consider," spoke Jasper, "that the Volturri let them leave unscarred. Most wanting to just 'quit' would've been punished direly, unless they were very fortunate," his eyes glanced at Carlisle, who was nodding in agreement.

"He's right, Edward," Carlisle said, "Jane and Alec's gifts are much too valuable to the guard for them to just let them leave unscathed."

I could see what both were getting at, and only when Bella finally interrupted did I say anything.

"So you're saying that maybe they left on purpose? That Alice saw that particular decision because they let her? Just like with the first vision?" she said, frowning in concentration as she pieced together what little information we had to work with.

"Yes, I think that's exactly what they're saying," I said, looking over to her worried face. "Which, if correct, only leads us back to square one. They're letting these events slip for a reason, as if they _wanted_ us to see them. And if that's the case, then there's something very important, and possibly very dangerous, that we don't have the slightest idea about."

"Jeanine," said Bella, still looking thoughtful, "it must be her. If she is some kind of shield, then she's what's protecting the 'important' things we don't know about."

Alice came out of her trance, disappointed with having received no further information. She piped in. "Bella's right. It has to be Jeanine who's blocking me out. I keep seeing these sort of blind spots in a lot of my visions, especially where Jane and Alec are concerned. We already know that she's some kind of shield, but," she nodded her head, "those spots, they're very similar to the kind I get when the wolves and Nessie get in the way, so it could also be that—"

"She's a hybrid," I interrupted. Alice shrugged in frustration.

"Yes, I think she may be. And perhaps that influences her shield as well." She said.

Carlisle looked thoughtful…_It could be all connected somehow: a hybrid with a gift of shielding…it could be similar to Bella's only instead of blocking out gifts like Edward's and Jane's, it might block out gifts like Alice's and Jaspers, gifts not directly linked to the mind…and maybe her half blood has something to do with the wolves…maybe she can shield away their link somehow?...there's no way of telling, we need more information_…he looked at me then, knowing I was listening to everything. I made to reiterate his thoughts to the rest of our family but another set of thoughts interrupted…

_I don't care what that blond bimbo says, if something's wrong with Renesmee I should be the first one to know, I'm her boyfriend! _

_Great, _I thought_, more drama._

_I bet I could make her smile, even if it does have something to do with Jacob. I don't care if even Edward tries to stop me, I'm going to march in there and demand to see—_

"Hello, Oliver," I said through gritted teeth, flashing them threateningly at him as he looked up at me with a surprised face, his fist lifted about to knock on the already open door. "What can I do for you today?"

He gaped at me…_Uh…right, right! I'm on a mission!_ His eyebrows drew closer together as he gathered up his courage.

"I came over to see Renesmee," he said, then added more attentively, "_sir_."

I smiled at him, "I'm sorry, Oliver, but Renesmee is not feeling well, as Rosalie already told you over the phone. Good-bye." I slammed the door in his face…but didn't hear it shut completely, only a muffled 'ow.'

_That stubborn little wolf! He'd purposefully used his foot to stop the door! _I turned back towards the door; _I was in no mood for little nuisances right now, especially when the safety of my daughter was at stake! _

Esme, however, had appeared out of nowhere and already had her hand on the handle. She turned swiftly towards me with a calm smile.

_I'll handle this dear._

I blinked at her in surprise...then shrugged. One less nuisance to worry about…_man, this whole situation was making me bitter…_

**********************Oliver***********************************

_Goodbye?_

I wasn't about to give up that easily. Without really thinking I stuck my foot at the last minute to catch the door…I wanted to scream like a little girl, it hurt!...but at least it'd get their attention. I blinked back the pain, ready to face Edward again. He'd be angrier, no doubt, and so I scowled in anticipation, ready for—

_Nessie's grandmother?_ I looked at the small woman in surprise, the confusion quite apparent on my face, but she just smiled at me.

"Hello, Oliver," she said with a beaming smile. I couldn't help it; I smiled back. "Renesmee isn't feeling too well but won't you come in for a little while? I made her several items for breakfast and lunch but she refuses to touch them. We'll probably just throw it away if you don't want—"

"I'll take it!" I almost yelled, then added in a softer undertone, "ma'am. It would be a waste to throw away such fine cooking after all."

She smiled sweetly at me and led me into the kitchen—away from where the rest of the family was—and I followed without guilt or thought. I liked Esme much more than Edward, that was for sure…

She motioned towards a chair for me to sit down and started reheating some stuff. The aroma made my mouth water and I nearly forgot why I was here in the first place.

_Renesmee_!

"Um, ma'am," I said aloud, she turned back to me, the same friendly smile on her face.

"Don't be silly, any friend of Nessie's is a friend of our family. Call me Esme," she insisted.

"Uh, ok, Esme," I said, feeling somewhat flustered, "I actually came over because I was worried about Renesmee. I called to wish her a Merry Christmas earlier and they told me she wasn't feeling too well. I just thought, well, you know," I blushed as she studied me closer, "since me and her were kind of boyfriend/girlfriend that I should try comforting her if she's not feeling well."

For a second neither of us said a word, then, she tilted her head to one side and cupped my face in one of her cold hands. The closeness made my face get hot. "Aw, that's such a _sweet_ gesture." Then she turned back to take out whatever was in the microwave.

_These vampire women should be outlawed! _I thought, cursing myself for blushing_…Wait, sweet gesture? What about seeing Renesme—dear lord, what is that AMAZING smell?  
_

"Here you go," she said, setting down several plates in front of me. I was mesmerized. "I hope you're hungry," she laughed as I took no further second to begin devouring everything edible in sight. Esme simply sat in front of me, watching me like a mother hen does her chicks and throwing occasional glances towards the rest of the family.

Within ten minutes—or less, but I'll pretend it was ten—I had finished everything. _Aahhhh! So good!_ Then I looked up at Esme.

"You should be, like, a professional chef or something," I told her. Her face lit up—as if that could even happen with her—and she smiled more.

"Why thank you," she beamed. I waited for her to invite me up to Renesmee's room but she didn't. After an uncomfortable minute I finally 'ahemed.'

"So," I said slowly, "can I see Renesmee now?" _No point in beating around the bush._

Her smile waned. "Well, Oliver," she said just as slowly, "we weren't lying when we said that Renesmee wasn't feeling well. I'm just not sure if," she hesitated, searching for the right words, "given our current situation, it would be such a good idea for you to see her right now."

_Current situation?..._ Then I almost slapped myself. _This had something to do with Jacob!_ "Is that what everyone's talking about in the other room?" I asked. I knew it was none of my business, but I felt if I wanted any kind of information, Esme would be the one to give it to me, and if she didn't she'd at least let me down nicely—_unlike a certain other vampire *cough* Edward! _

Her beautiful smile vanished completely, and I almost regret asking. "Yes, I'm afraid our family is dealing with a potentially dangerous circumstance, and Nessie is taking it really hard, she—"

"That's why Jacob left, isn't it?" I suddenly interrupted, somehow piecing together this 'situation.' "It has something to with Nessie, huh?"

Esme looked at me confused. "How did you know Jacob lef—" she began, but I didn't let her finish. I explained briefly how Edward had told me to go along with their little lie—coincidentally leaving out the 'moment' I'd gotten in trouble for—and also how I had seen Jacob flee away into the forest. For a moment she didn't say anything, then—

"Oh, I see."

She looked pensive for a moment, then turned to me. "I thought Edward didn't want you seeing Nessie so as not to involve you but…" she paused, "well, seeing as how you already knew some of the problem, I really don't see the harm."

I beamed at her_, I was going to get to see her after all!_

"I will warn you, however, dear, that she didn't take Jacob's leaving well—"

I felt my heart falter. "Wait, she knows he's gone?" I interrupted. Esme nodded at me sadly.

"Yes, she knows he left but because none of us know where he went, she's worried sick," she continued. I felt a pang of jealousy tear through me—

"And another thing, Oliver," Esme said, this time more carefully, "when Nessie found out last night…" she looked uncomfortable, even looking away for a second, "I think it may have triggered something in her. You know, about her feelings for Jacob."

My heart turned to stone. _Feelings? For…Jacob? But…she was MY girlfriend! She couldn't have feelings for him…yet?_

Esme continued hurriedly, "Of course just because she said she loved him doesn't necessarily imply that she loves him _that_ way. She's always loved him as if he were part of the family…But he is her imprint, Oliver, as you were always aware of, so I'm trusting you'll do the right thing if she decides to talk to you about anything…," she placed her hand onto my dead shoulder, "but for all we know she might not even mention it, so don't worry too much about it, ok?"

I nodded, but my racing imagination was thinking the worst. "Here, I'll take you up to her room." Esme offered.

I followed her reluctantly, unsure of whether I wanted to see her anymore…to find out she no longer saw _me_ in _that_ way…

_Renesmee might have feelings for Jacob…_my stomach dropped to my toes and I could hear the rapid progression of my heart as we neared Renesmee's room. I prayed dearly that it wasn't true…

So what do you think of this little sort of 'heart to heart?' Esme is so nice! But even she can't ignore what Oliver is going to face when he enters Nessie's room. What will she say to him? What will he say when she finds out he was in on the 'little lie' as well? What's going on with Jacob? Review to find out! Thanks.


	40. I'm Sorry

I'm missing the fervor chapter thirty six had, damn! So I will try to keep it 'real' from now on. Here we will witness another 'emotional' moment, I hope you like it as much as I do ; ) Thanks so much for all the reviews, you guys are the best! ( I can't stop saying that, lol) so anyway here's the next chapter, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's fabulous work, solely the plot and some new faces in this story.

************************Edward********************************

I frowned as Esme took Oliver upstairs to see Nessie. It went against my better judgment, but because it was _Esme_…I forced back any sentimentalities involved with Esme's nurturing quality: _Nessie was in no need for more headaches, and Oliver was exactly that!_ I made to follow them, making it to about halfway up the stairs when yet another line of thoughts slipped. I turned angrily towards the closed bedroom that harnessed the disobedient act.

_Damnit Rosalie!_

****************************Nessie***********************************

After falling asleep in Esme's lap, I was surprised to wake up from a dreamless sleep—thankfully!—to the sound of a light knocking on the door. I looked up, confused for a moment. I was no longer in my dress—Alice would've discarded it for sure after what I'd done to it—but in my favorite flannel pajamas instead. My hair was no longer tangled either, but lay soft and silky against my skin, despite not even having showered…_Esme was the best grandma a girl could ask for_…I couldn't help but feel grateful towards her, and somewhat guilty for causing someone as sweet as her any risk of sadness with my attitude…

But it was inevitable. I sighed, wondering for the millionth time where my Jake could be, if he was safe at least…another knock startled me back to the present. _Oops, forgot about that…_

"Com—" I cleared my throat as a raspy sound came out and tried again, "come in."

Esme poked her head in and smiled at me. _Probably glad to see I wasn't crying anymore…_

"Hello, sweetie," she said to me with her 'never fails everything will be alright' smile. "You look much better, did the nap help?"

_Had it helped? Was Jake back yet?..._but I smiled meekly at her, it was the least I could do. "Yeah, a little."

She grinned at me. "That's great honey. There's someone here to see you," she hesitated, "I thought he might be able to cheer you up."

_He_? My face showed momentary panic. A knot began to twist in my stomach, I had a feeling I knew who 'he' was…Esme looked uncertain but continued in her soothing voice.

"I know you're feeling glum, Nessie, but Oliver just wanted to make sure you're ok. He knows how upset you are and wants to comfort you," she said carefully, hopefully.

_Yeah, but does he also know that I finally realized I actually might see Jake that way_—a sharp pain went through me as I thought of Jake—_and thus he and I would probably have to break_…I let the thought hang in my mind…_did we have to break up? Did I still have feelings for Oliver? Could I even consider giving him a chance with Jake being in such peril?_

All the while Esme scrutinized my behavior, the quickly altering forms expressed on my face. I'd known, somewhere in the back of my mind, that I'd have to talk to Oliver eventually…but…it just seemed like the least thing to worry about right now with Jake gone…

Again the pain…_Jake_…I could feel the tears threatening to well up in my eyes and I blinked ferociously to stop them.

"If you're not feeling up to it," Esme said hurriedly, "I can tell him to come back later?"

_Come back later? For what? For me to tell him that I loved Jake and not him? For him to go on living with false hope, no matter how temporary_? It was only a matter of delaying the inevitable anyway, just like my finding out about Jake_…why lie to him too by avoiding the truth like everyone else had with me?_

No, Oliver didn't deserve that from me. He had, if not the greatest boyfriend—I recalled our irrational but frequent arguments—always been a good friend to me, and the least I could do was tell him the truth. I wasn't looking forward to it at all, more pain, more guilt to add to my already overstocked pile…but I had to be strong.

All this flitted through my head within two seconds. "No," I said, a bit anxiously, "he can come in."

Esme smiled at me, a genuine 'that's my girl' smile. "Alright, I'll leave you two alone."

I straightened up and smoothed my hair back behind my ears, nervous being the second leading emotion in my head. _Worry was still number one_…Oliver walked in, casting a downward glance at my puffy eyed lone figure. He looked uncomfortable, and…

_Depressed?_

I scoot to the edge of my bed and patted the seat beside me, never taking my eyes off of my recent first boyfriend as he walked over and sat beside me, twiddling his thumbs nervously and glancing at me cautiously…I gulped before a new set of tears silently made their way out.

_He knew. _

How he knew I had no idea, I hadn't revealed my Jake revelation to anyone, and I knew, given the situation, that daddy wouldn't have told everyone else of something so private…

But Oliver knew…_how? Could he see it in my eyes? Could he see the extent of pain that it caused me for Jake to be away?_

The tears kept rolling down, flowing faster as Oliver finally looked up into my eyes with a weak smile.

"Hey," he said softly, wiping away my newest tears from my face with the length of his fingers, "don't cry, Renesmee."

That only made them flow faster of course…_Renesmee_…he and Tom were the only ones that called me by my full name at all times, somehow I had never really noticed that before…Oliver continued to wipe away my tears looking at me sadly. I forced myself to meet his gaze and…

Felt my heart throb painfully…another realization hit me like pelting rain.

I still _felt_ for Oliver. I could see it plainly in his eyes, the way they still melted my insides and aroused ridiculous urges…but…

I knew my feelings for him would never rival against what I felt for Jake, what I'd felt for Jake all along…_how_ _could I have been so stupid and not noticed? And now here I was, in love—_wait_ did I love Oliver?—with two wolves, one less than the other and one gone, the one that really counted…_

I cringed at the last thought. _That wasn't a fair thing to think, Oliver counted too, he always had…he was my first kiss after all…_

"Renesmee," Oliver began again, "go ahead, talk to me."

But the sound of his voice only made my sadder, guiltier. _How could I do what I was about to do to him? He was going to hate me after this, and I would probably lose him…As if losing Jake wasn't bad enough! It was all just so unfair…_

"Oliver, I—I," but I couldn't manage to get past that, I could taste salt in my mouth, my chest heaving maniacally with the over exertion of emotions going on inside of me. My mouth felt dry despite my wet face and I suddenly wished Jasper was near by to calm my overwhelmed mind.

"Jake's gone," I finally said, the words bringing about a strangled cry from my throat with their meaning. I searched his face for a response, and felt the hole in my chest deepen when I saw it.

He winced, slightly, but I hadn't missed it. He put on a comforting smile for my sake however. "I know, Renesmee, and I'm really sorry."

His sympathy only made me feel worse…the worst, at least for _him_, was yet to come, and he was still putting on a brave face for _my_ sake…

_I'm horrible!_

"Before you say anything though," he continued, suddenly shifting his eyes away from mine, "I need to confess something of my own."

_Huh? _

"I kind of lied to yesterday about Jacob. Your dad kind of made me go along with their little lie," he paused, waiting for a reaction, but I just stared back at him. "I'm really sorry, I didn't really know where Jacob went, but I did know he hadn't gone to Billy's like I told you he did…sorry."

I blinked. Wait..._So Oliver had lied to me too?_

My pity for him vanished instantly… and the rage began to build.

"So you knew he left and you didn't tell me," I snapped at him. It caused him to tense and look up at me worriedly.

"I—I," he stuttered, "I didn't have a choice, Edward threatened to pulverize me! He slammed me against a tree—"

I had already stood up, my eyes narrowing, angry tears coming out. I poked a finger into his chest accusingly. "It doesn't matter," I hissed at him vehemently, "you were the only I thought WASN'T lying to me!"

Oliver blinked but didn't back away. "Please, Renesmee, I only did it because I thought it would keep you safe," he looked away, remembering the encounter with daddy, "the way Edward made it sound…he said he didn't want you to get into trouble by going out and looking for him, that you should be happy for as long as possible." His eyes pleaded with me to believe him…and I remembered my own confession...

I couldn't help not laughing bitterly. "Oh, do I seem happy to you _now_?" I sat back down in a huff with my back to him. I knew I _would_ forgive him in a bit—daddy could be pretty convincing after all, and my soon to be revealed truth was something I knew he'd hate hearing—but I was still mad that he'd been in on the lie.

"Renesmee?" Oliver placed his hand on my shoulder tentatively. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen, honest, I—I," I heard him gulp awkwardly, "I really, really like you, too much actually. If your family wanted you to be happy, even if just for a bit longer, how could I not agree? All I wanted was to have a chance with you before," again the pause, "before you fell for someone else…," he stopped again, and I heard a stifled sniffle escape from him. My anger immediately broke…_he was crying!_

"And even if you did, I'd still want you to be happy."

His words caught me off guard, revitalizing the destructive pain in my chest. _Would my tears ever stop?_ _How could I stay mad when he made sense? When I was about to break up with him because of a sudden realization?_ I still had feelings for Oliver, of that I was aware, but he wouldn't see it like that…he would see it the way it really was: _me choosing Jake over him_…Oliver could always make me smile, make me happy…but never as happy as Jake made me…yet he never stopped trying, even now…coming to see me when I knew he already knew I was going to break his heart. It was all just too much sadness, too much misery for one day…first my own, now my dear friend's? _How could this all be happening at once, and on Christmas!_

"You ok?" his voice again, timid with my lack of response. "I get it if you're mad. I deserve it." I could hear the regret in his voice, more sadness…and I couldn't hold back any longer.

I burst into tears, wailing again like a child. Oliver's hand froze.

"Renesmee?" he asked shakily, then began muttering in panic, "I'm sorry, I made things worse didn't I? I never should have come, I'll go, I'll leave right away, and—uh—I'm really, really sorry, I—"

But I had thrown myself into his arms, shaking heavily with my cries. His body remained stiff from surprise…after a few seconds he relaxed and simply held me…

We sat like that for several moments, Oliver nervously rubbing my back while I ruined his shirt…then I pulled back from him, wiping away what water was left on my face.

"I—I'm sorry about your shirt," I said shakily, Oliver quickly replied with a 'No, no, don't even think about it' but I kept going as if I didn't hear him. "Oliver, I'm not mad, I know how scary daddy can be, so I don't blame you. Plus...there's something I have to tell you too."

His breathing hitched as we both waited for the _ultimate_ truth to come out. I took a deep breath and grabbed one of his hands in mine. "Last night," I said, my voice finally sounding vaguely familiar, "I found out the truth about Jake. That he _l—l—left_," I took another quick breath from the horrible memory. "I don't know if you know all the details yet, but he basically left because of something to do with my safety."

Oliver remained silent, listening attentively. "I," I looked away, remembering painfully the moment I'd realized he was gone, "I just about lost it. I almost got away too, but…daddy caught me and brought me back home…when I got here, though, I began going off on this…_rant_, I guess you could call it, and it was then that I realized something."

My breathing became uneven as Oliver's stopped. We both knew what was coming next, and it took all of my will power to look him in the eyes as I continued. "I realized the reason why Jake has always been so important to me, not just because he's my best friend, or because I've known him all my life—_Oliver_?"

I couldn't find myself to go on at that moment... Oliver was crying, silently, but the tears were relentless. I felt a small part of me die knowing it was all my fault…I made to wipe them away but he waved his hand dismissively, muttering a quick 'no it's fine, I'm fine, go on' and using his shirt to wipe his face hastily.

I wanted to hurt myself for doing this to him...but I went on. "I realized that...that I loved him, that I loved Jake, not just as my best friend but as—_oh Oliver I'm so sorry_!" I joined him in his waterfest, taking both his hands in mine. "I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner, I would've _never _wanted to hurt you like this," I sobbed. Oliver's shoulders sagged up and down as he struggled to contain his silent hysterics. I didn't need to say it aloud, that I loved Jake in _that _way…I'd already said enough, done enough damage to the devoted, broken boy that sat before me.

He hid his face in the hem of his shirt, avoiding my gaze. I forced him to look at me. "Please, say something?"

He sniffled a bit before managing a weak smile, "Don't worry about it, Renesmee," he croaked, "I'm ok, _honest_," more tears as he turned away from me again.

"But," I insisted, grabbing his chin to face me, "_you're crying_!"

"Aw," he said, waving a hand as if were nothing, "I just got something stuck in my eye, that's all, no worries there," another set of tears came gushing out. I bowed my head, hating myself for doing this to him, for making someone else miserable, someone I loved. I felt his hand on my chin this time, and I looked up into his dark, sad, eyes.

"Renesmee," he said carefully, with so much emotion it hurt even more, "don't be sorry. I'm not. I'm glad I had you for as long as I did, and besides," he smiled at me through the curtain of water, "I'm still your friend, till the end, you'll always be my girl, even if it's nothing more. It'll be like Jacob and I just switched places."

I couldn't help a weak smile at him as I let him pull me in for a hug. "You're such a dork, you know that," I mumbled, feeling his tears falling onto my pajama top. "You could never be just a friend to me. If Jake is, you know, _that _to me, then you'd have to be my _best _friend from now on."

I felt his fingers comb through my hair as he huskily managed to say, "I can live with that," kissing me on the forehead briefly before pulling me back into his arms.

We held onto each other tightly for what seemed like forever, each wallowing in our own sadness and misery…but at least I knew I hadn't lost him, that he would always be there for me, just like the best friends we'd always been meant to be…

What a friend, huh? I do feel I could've added more, but…idk, what do you all think? I'd say it's still one of my better chapters but I guess I'll find out. Let me know what you think by reviewing, reviewing, reviewing! I'm going to try doing several things by tomorrow: 1)go back and edit/rewrite at least 2-3 chapters from the beginning, 2)update into chapter 41, and 3) start writing chapter 42…so please review and let me know what you all think, I'm going to work hard to keep it good and a simple comment from each of you only makes more worthwhile, thanks!


	41. Damnit!

I'm so, so, so sorry for not finishing what I said I would :( but things just got a bit busy for me. At least I got the next chapter up, right? Lol, well, like always, thank you so much for all the reviews, you guys are the best! I hope some of you had SOME sympathy for Oliver—even though you all are screaming and jumping around in your rooms now that Nessie realized her love for Jacob—but if not can't say I don't blame you. Well, enough of that, here's chapter forty one, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

***************************Rosalie*********************************

I smelled him before I heard him coming towards our room. _Damnit_! I'd been hoping Edward wouldn't have noticed my little slip. I turned around with a scowl, ready to face my undoubtedly over the top angry brother. Emmett simply looked up from his position on the bed with an excited grin on his happy face. I avoided looking at him, knowing that now was not the time to be smiling myself.

The door slammed open without so much as a '_Rosalie_!' for a knock. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to look bothered for his intrusion and forcing away the nerves that were suddenly all gathered throughout my body. Edward didn't fall for any of my act, however, crossing over in two graceful steps and peering down at me dangerously, his teeth somewhat bared threateningly.

"_What the hell_," he spoke to me softly, completely ignoring my suddenly upright Emmett on the bed, "_did you call him for_?"

I glared back at him, thinking instead of replying. _Haven't you seen your daughter? How miserable she is? I just wanted to make sure the mutt was ok, alright? So I could let Nessie know—_

"Don't you dare tell her you called him!" he hissed at me, louder this time, but I didn't flinch. I was too used to Edward's sudden little tantrums.

_Why the hell not?_

He grabbed the sides of my arms, losing his patience with me. Emmett was suddenly by my side, eyeing Edward with a frown.

"Hey now, take it easy there, Edward," he warned, flexing his muscles; it didn't hinder Edward, however.

"Emmett, this is between me and Rose, stay out of it," he warned with just as much of a threat. Emmett stayed by my side.

"Rosalie," Edward continued, his anger still visible in his golden eyes, "if Nessie finds out where Jacob is she is going to do whatever possible to get to him. _Do you not understand that?"_

I rolled my eyes at him._ As if I was stupid enough to let her trace the call..._

Edward was shaking his head at me. "I'm not questioning your stupidity, Rose. If Nessie finds out you called him she will find a way! I would know, _trust me_!"

I rolled my eyes again and growled at him this time, turning loose from his grip and stalking over to my mirror. _What do you plan then, hmm? Just keeping them both in the dark about everything?_

Edward looked startled for a second. "Why would _you_ care that Jacob is left in the dark?" he suddenly asked curiously, observing as I turned to face him angrily.

"_I _don't," I spit back, "but I know _Nessie_ would. So I did what I did for her sake. Maybe you should try doing something _she_ would want instead of what _you_ think is good for."

I knew he had already heard what I was going to say before I said, and I almost expected him to interrupt me with another set of growls and threats, but instead his mouth dropped open, and he stared at me, speechless.

It caught me off guard. "Edward?"

But he simply blinked a few times, shook his head and left the room.

Emmett looked just as confused as I felt.

_How strange…_

*******************************Jane************************************

My brother smiled sweetly at me as we made our way away from Volterra. Everything was going smoothly, so smoothly even Aro had been forced to comply with our demands. Jeanine had stayed behind, just in case her shield might be needed, if even for a few moments, but I didn't worry. For the time being, I was positive the Cullens would be on alert. Renesmee wouldn't be going anywhere alone right now, I was sure of it.

"Jane," Alec interrupted. I turned to him, scowling slightly for the intrusion of my thoughts. "I'm getting a bit thirsty, I think I can manage a bit of an accident in the cockpit, however, I'm afraid we do need at least one person to fly the plane, did you want to share one of the pilots?"

I laughed softly with him. "Don't be silly, dear brother. I can fly quite well."

And with that we made our way towards the front of the plane, Alec numbing any flight attendants that dared to stop us. We entered the small frontal area of the plane and I silently locked the door behind me.

"Hey, you two, sorry, but no passengers allowed up here—"

But I smiled at him sweetly. "Oh, don't worry, sir, we won't bite…much."

And we simultaneously took one each.

********************************Alice**********************************

It'd been about two weeks now since Jacob's flight and still I hadn't seen anything remotely relevant to what we should do. After Rosalie's little incident, Edward had suddenly come to me with a change of mind, so sudden even I hadn't seen it…

"_Alice," he said, worry creasing his forehead, "I think Rose may be onto something concerning Nessie, as much as I hate to admit it."_

_I saw it then, whilst he told me. Edward was going to let Nessie talk to Jacob._

_I'd looked at him in shock at first. We all had decided it'd be best not to give her false hope, or risk her leaving over mere evidence of where he might be, but…_

Rose had said something to him that actually made a lot of sense… _Maybe you should try doing something she would want instead of what you think is good for_…and Edward was seriously considering it.

I would've laughed if we hadn't been in such an ordeal; Edward _never_ agreed with Rosalie, and given that it was after she deliberately disobeyed him…I couldn't help the smile that escaped from me nonetheless.

Bella had commented that, though it was a good idea, at least to give Nessie some hope of things being alright, we should wait just a bit longer. I could see from Edward's face and Jasper's disappointment upon hearing the word 'wait.' And I didn't blame them, that's all we seemed to be doing nowadays, waiting and waiting for something we had naught the slightest clue about.

We'd all agreed to call Jacob around mid-January, around the same time Nessie would be heading back to school. Luckily for us, Sam had worked it out so that either Bella or Edward could escort her to and from the reservation. Tom and Oliver were to keep an eye on her throughout her actual time there.

_Poor Nessie._ After her encounter with Oliver, I could see a new sadness in her, and yet the equally sad wolf seemed to give her hope. I felt guilty at having sent Jacob away, and the thought that maybe, _just maybe_ she might be able to cheer up, even if only the tiniest bit, made all the difference in the world on my guilty conscience.

I looked at the calendar for the hundredth time. Today was Thursday. Nessie started school in exactly one week from today…the day she'd finally get to call her beloved Jacob.

**************************Bella************************************

I was especially nervous as 'next week' dawdled closer and closer. Nessie was unaware, of course, that she'd get the chance to speak to him. The rest of the family was very aware, Rosalie in particular. It was driving Edward insane every time that she smirked at him knowingly with the mere thought that she'd been right and he wrong.

I, however, was still doubting this decision. It's not that I didn't want to appease Nessie's worry, on the contrary, I wanted it very much. Though Nessie did seem slightly better after seeing Oliver—much to my surprise considering they'd broken up—I knew she was still hurting monumentally, it was written all over her melancholy face.

There were exactly three more days before the much awaited phone call, and I decided something on my own, knowing Edward might not be too pleased if he knew what I doing.

I dialed briskly the number I had already memorized from the moment I knew he left.

Ok, I know, kind of eh, but this is mostly a filler chapter for what's coming next—hopefully another 'emotional' moment—where we will see, finally, Nessie talking to her beloved Jacob! AAAAAHHHHH! There will be a prior phone conversation (Bella obviously) and maybe some more POV from different characters. I can't wait to write that chapter, but for now, review, review, review! What did you all think of Jane and Alec's evil little gesture? Lol! Ask me anything you may be confused over (except jane and alec…that is still part of the mystery hehe), anything you loved/hated, just let me know, thanks!


	42. Voice

I've been noticing the reviews coming in slower than before, and so have decided to update every two to three days, please don't' hate me *flinches* I've also been working a lot so in this way I can give each chapter the focus it deserves and not update a half-ass one; also so any new readers can catch up. Just to give a heads up, I am also working on another project (teeheehee!) that will hopefully make its debut sometime in June or July. It will be a Final Fantasy VII in case anyone is interested ; ) Well anyway, here it is, the conversation we've all been waiting for (Bella's will be only briefly mentioned, as you will see), I hope you all like it. Thanks so much for all the reviews, it's actually getting close to 300, WOW! I never expected such feedback from my first fanfic, but *sobbing pathetically* you guys have made it happen! So here's chapter forty two, read, review (to keep me sobbing pathetically lol) and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some twin wolves in this story.

************************Jacob***************************************

I hung up the compact phone with a glazed expression. _Nessie…I was finally going to get to talk to…Nessie…_

"YESSSSSSS!"

A nearby couple nearly fell over from my sudden animate state of mind, the petite woman scowling in my direction with a very audible 'idiot.' I didn't care though. _I was going to get to talk to Nessie!_

Bella had been very brief with me. I could talk to her as long as I kept my location a secret. What was so hard about that? But Bella had been ready for that question.

"_She's going to beg you, Jacob, she might even cry…I know you. You're going to want to give her everything she wants, especially since you haven't seen her, so I need you to be strong and keep you big mouth shut."_

_I was barely listening to her, of course, I was still too stunned and inwardly so excited my brain barely even heard her voice._

"_Jacob?" she said, then a bit louder, "Jake!"_

"_Yeah, yeah, sure, sure," I told her, nodding my head as if she could see me, "location a secret, no matter what, got it. Can I talk to her now?"_

_I heard her sigh on the other end, though I knew there was somewhat of a smile on my other best friend. "No, Jake, not yet. Three days, ok? Just wait for three more days."_

Three more days.

It seemed like forever, but…

"I'M GOING TO GET TO TALK TO NESSIE!"

This time I did knock over an old lady…into a nearby fountain.

******************************Nessie***********************************

"Really?" I squealed, my stomach fluttering like crazy with those magical words.

Alice smiled at my disbelief. "Yes, Ness, Edward and Bella have finally given the ok—"

"Finally?" I scowled, aiming an evil eye at my parents. But my anger didn't even make it through the second, I was too excited, relieved, happy, and feeling so many more things I don't think sufficient names could describe.

"You can call him as long as you promise not to go running off anywhere, no matter what—" began daddy, but I was already running towards his outstretched hand, a cell phone conveniently held out of my reach.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I interrupted, jumping erratically over my half-smiling/half-frowning father in frantic need of that phone.

Mom laughed, "Just give her the phone, Edward."

Daddy was eyeing me speculatively, probably seeing if I had any plans of going after Jake. I pleaded with him through touch.

_Please, please, please, please, PLEASE!_

After another long 'daddy' look, he finally smiled wholeheartedly at me. "Alright, let me call, hang on."

I fell back slightly to give him some room. The days had been so miserable since Jake had left, and I couldn't help the stupid smile that suddenly seemed immovable from my face. _I was going to talk to my Jake!_

My enhanced hearing picked up two rings and then—

"_Hello_?"

The most beautiful voice in the world answered. I put out my hand eagerly, but of course daddy made me suffer just a bit longer.

"Hello Jacob, it's Edward," said daddy. I began to hop up and down involuntarily, whining silently.

"I'm doing fine, and you?" he continued, smiling amusedly at my anxious fidgeting.

"Glad to hear that, Jacob. Yes, today is that day," he said in answer to one of Jake's questions. "Just remember the conditions," he said, throwing an annoyed look at mom. She only smiled knowingly, however, turning one in my direction too.

"_Sure, sure."_

I felt my heart began to pound faster, realizing I was but a second away from hearing his heavenly voice after too long of a time for him and I. The swirl of emotions in my head began to spin faster, fluttering down into my stomach, into my toes, and back up again. There was so much I wanted to tell him, so much of his voice I wanted to hear. I'd longed for him for too long, worried for his safety each second, and alas!

Daddy handed me the phone and I yanked it eagerly.

"Hello? Hello? Ness, are you there?" said an anxious Jake.

And I suddenly found that I had no voice.

"Nessie? Hello? Damn, this stupid reception! Renesmee!"

"Sweetie, say something," mom coaxed, noticing my frozen stupor. I looked at her with wide eyes, nodding but saying nothing in response.

"Bella? Hey, where's Ness? Hello?" said Jake again, having heard my mom. I gulped back the tightness that was infiltrating my throat, my eyes fighting their own battle of staying dry. I gripped the phone tighter against my ear, taking a deep breath to calm myself…and forced out one word.

"Jake?" I said softly, unsure of whether he'd hear me, or even if he'd recognize my voice, but then—

"_Oh_ _Nessie_!" he exclaimed, his voice cracking on my name. He _had_ recognized my voice!

It was all I needed. I could hear his muffled sobs as my own began to fall relentlessly. I tasted salt as the tears came streaming down my face, tears of joy, tears of sadness, tears for my Jake.

"Jake!" I said again, this time louder, with half a laugh mingled in amidst the crying. I struggled to get a hold of myself, knowing Jake was doing the same.

"Ah Nessie," he said, failing audibly in his hope of speaking normally, "I've missed you, kiddo!"

My stupid smile remained plastered on my face, as I grinned wider and wider with each sound, each hitch of breath that came from the other end of the line. "I-I've missed y—you too, J-Jake," I said, doing my own dance with normalcy.

I couldn't seem to stop crying, though.

"Hey, hey," he cooed, "don't cry, sweetie, I'm absolutely fine! I swear!"

"B—but," I whimpered, "Jake, I've missed you so much! I—I—"

I heard a silent thud as my parents and Alice left the room, finally giving me some kind of privacy, though my mind only barely registered the gesture. I was torn between the joy my heart swelled up with by Jake's mere voice and the horrible reality we were living in right now. I wanted to tell Jake just how much I really missed him, how much his absence made my days so utterly miserable, the nights so much colder, the sun invisible and the sky moonless, I wanted to know when he was coming back, where he was now, I—I wanted…

I wanted to tell him that I loved him.

"But I bet you anything I miss you more," he said to me jokingly. I rolled my eyes, the tears still streaming.

"Don't be stupid, Jake," I said, laughing under my curtain of sobs. "You're much bigger than me so that means I miss you more."

He laughed at my weak attempt of a joke. "So doesn't that mean I have more 'missing' capacity?"

"Shut up, Jake," I retorted, a moan escaping as a new flush came out of my eyes.

"Alright, alright," he conceded, I could picture his incredible grin, the one he wore whenever he usually let me have my way, "you win, you win."

We both laughed and cried for several more seconds, happy and sad at the same time to be hearing each other after what seemed like too long. It was a moment of bliss, right now, a moment that connected two halves of a whole despite being so many miles apart…

"You ok, Ness?" he asked me, his musical laughter finally subsiding. I could tell he was trying to sound cheerful despite his obvious cries, to be happy and 'every thing is going to be ok' for my sake.

I hesitated…I wanted to keep our conversation happy too, to say I was doing fine, to be the big girl that everyone told me I was, to be strong and brave like my family and Jake, I wanted him to not worry about me so he could take care of himself, so that he could be safe at least…I wanted to do all of this…but…

I opened my mouth to say how 'ok' I was and instead choked on a muffled sob, crying out urgently, "No, Jake!" my voice breaking hysterically, "I'm not ok! Why did you leave me Jake! Don't you know I don't care what happens if I can't be with you!"

It caught him by surprise. "Hey, hey—"

"Can't you see that everyone is always trying to protect me? Not you too, Jake! I don't need you to protect me, Jake!"

"Nessie, hang on a min—"

"I need _you_ Jake! Remember? I told you that night, I need _you_!"

"I need you too, Ness, but it's what's—"

"Don't say it! Please, that's all everyone tells me around here, I _know_ what's best for me, and right now that's you, it's always been you, so don't even—"

"Nessie, calm down—"

"_Jake I love you_!"

Silence.

My heart raced and I could almost hear Jake's heartbeat…in perfect unison with my own.

He spoke first. "I love you too, Nessie, I always have," he said, carefully, but I interrupted him.

"No, Jake, you don't get it…" I paused, and I could hear his pulse quicken, could see his eyebrows raise in anticipation. I licked my lips, suddenly gone dry from my rushed intake of breath. "Jake, I—I _love_, love you."

For a long second he said nothing, and for an even longer second I feared I might've been wrong with my revelation, humiliated tears snaking their way out, but then he spoke.

"How did you—when did you—" he asked confusedly, but I could hear traces of elation behind the confusion, awe and pleasant surprise. He 'ahemed' in an attempt of hiding his obvious excitement, failing nonetheless. It gave me hope.

"The day after you left," I said softly, recalling the painful memory.

"Oh," he said, probably remembering the day himself. He spoke again, this time failing miserably at hiding his elation, "Nessie, I—I don't know what to say, where to begin, I—I can't believe it, I've been waiting to hear you say that for…" he sputtered, " too long. I—I"

"Do you…?" I suddenly asked, anxious for his response.

"Do I!" He exclaimed. "Renesmee Cullen I love you with all that I am and so much more! You can't possibly have any idea—you are the only girl that has, and will ever, hold my heart in your hands to do whatever you want with it. I love you! Geez, I finally get to say it out loud! I love you Renesmee!"

All the while my heart began to beat madly, and my smile wrapped itself around my face. _Jake loved me_! I already knew he did, but to hear it from him was something entirely different. It was a sensation I had never known before, and I could only imagine what it would feel like when he told me in person…

"Jake, where are you?" I blurted out. I glanced immediately towards the door, knowing that was exactly the question that could get me in trouble…but daddy didn't come through. I waited anxiously for his answer, knowing he would've also been warned not to tell me, but still, there was always the slightest chance…

"Nessie," he said, already apologizing—_damnit_!—"You know I can't tell you that, really, I wish you were with me too, but it's just too dangerous right now—"

"Jacob Black," I interrupted him, no longer caring, "you will tell me where you are! I just professed my love to you and you can't give me the one thing I want?"

"But—but—"

I knew it was unfair to be asking him this, I knew that any moment daddy would walk in and snatch the phone away…but I also knew that I loved him, unconditionally, and if there was any chance, any at all, of getting to him, I would take it.

"Jake, please?" I begged, using the coaxing simper I knew he could never resist.

"Uh—um—I guess if—but no—well, maybe—uh—"

"That is quite enough," said another 'not-Jake' voice.

"Hey!" I growled, turning aggressively toward the perpetrator, but it was Jasper who now held the phone over his head and away from me.

"I wasn't done talking to him!" I roared, angry tears rolling down. Jasper shook his head at me at the same time that daddy walked in with a nod of disapproval.

_Ugh! Stupid mind reading power!_

"Nessie? Nessie? Aw come on, I can't have lost reception already?" Jake's frenzied voice.

"Nessie, are you going to cooperate?" the vampire I once called 'daddy' asked me quietly.

I snarled at him for a few seconds, knowing I was going to lose this battle, but suddenly my anger seemed to vanish into thin air, my thoughts turning calm. It helped me rationalize, and so I nodded, eyeing Jasper suspiciously nonetheless.

"Ok, then," said daddy, "go ahead and say good-bye then. I think that's enough for today."

"But—"

He arched an eyebrow at me and I sighed, then I looked back at him. "For today? I get to talk to him again?" I asked excitedly.

Daddy and Jasper exchanged glances. It was Jasper who spoke. "As long as it's not too often, maybe twice a week or so, I think we should be ok—"

I squealed.

"As long as," he continued, "you, like Edward said, cooperate."

"Ok, ok," I said hastily, "give it back."

He handed me the phone back and I breathlessly called out to Jake.

"Yeah, I'm still here. So I get to hear your beautiful voice twice a week. Awesome!" said Jake, excitement tinged all over his voice.

"I know!" I exclaimed, noting how unbelievably giddy I was sounding. "But I guess you really can't tell me where you are then, huh?"

He sighed, both of our momentary highs plummeting. "No, I can't, sweetie, sorry."

We both sighed again, and then stuttered for the awkward good-bye.

"Jake—"

"Ness—"

We laughed. "You first," I said, eyeing daddy and Jasper meaningfully. They nodded and left me alone once again.

"Nessie," he began, "just don't forget that I'll always love you, I'll always be there for you—well, except for the obvious," he laughed, referring to our current state, "and also that knowing you feel the same way for me, well, a fraction of it anyway—"

"Hey!"

"Ok, ok ," he laughed at my exclamation, "knowing that you feel _exactly_ the same for me as I with you, it makes me the happiest guy in the world. And…I know they said we can talk again soon, but just in case, I want to promise you something, are you listening?"

"Yes," I answered, slightly out of breath.

"I promise that I will return to you, my beautiful and perfect Renesmee," he said, "and the first thing I'm going to do when I see you is give you the kiss I've been waiting all my life to give to the girl of my dreams. How does that sound?"

I hadn't realized I was holding my breath, so I let it out in a long 'whoosh' before being able to answer. "Sounds perfect," I croaked—apparently I hadn't noticed I was crying all over again either.

"You ok?' he asked worriedly. I struggled to get my sobs in control, taking another deep breath before speaking.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just," another sniffle, "overwhelmed. I don't know how I didn't see it before, now it's too late—"

"No it's not," he interrupted me sternly, "never think that, Ness. I promised you and I will keep that promise, understand?"

I nodded, forgetting to speak. With his silence I remembered. "Yes, Jake, I understand."

"That's my girl," he said soothingly, again I could see his brilliant smile.

"Jake," I said, almost desperately, "I like your promise, and I—I promise that I'll be here when you get back, from where ever you are. I—I," I paused, attempting to control my endless sobs, "I love you, Jake."

I heard a sniffle on the other end, reiterating my own as the end of our short phone call finally came.

"I'll be awaiting your call, Ness," he said huskily.

"Me too," I said, then added, "but me calling you that is."

We laughed and cried again for another set of seconds, finally subsiding opposite the racing of our hearts.

"I love you, Jake." 

"I love you, Nessie."

Review! What did you think of Nessie's, if somewhat awkward, revelation to Jake? No point in ranting now, lol, I want to hear what you all think, so let me know. Coming up, the other POV's I mentioned in the previous chapter, a beginning of the 'plan' unfolds (where Jeanine's gift/identity will finally be revealed) and some more 'funnies'. This may be within the next five chapters or so, so we'll see how that goes. One reviewer asked me for a time line, and to be honest, I myself am not sure exactly what is going to happen in exact order, but I can tell you *sob* that this story is probably more than half-way done (unless I decide to drag it out some more…hmmm? What do you think?), and if things go according to plan, I will have finished it by late June/early July…it makes me want to cry :_( but we all must go on I suppose…anyway, ( so much for not ranting, haha) review, review! I will update quicker if you do ;) thanks I love you all!


	43. Company

Sorry everyone :( I had a hospital emergency that took up all of yesterday and night so haven't had a chance to update. But on a happier note, thank you to all my reviewers, your comments can sure make a girl happy! Here's the next chapter, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

*****************************Esme***************************

Though I'd noticed a magnificent difference in Nessie, a twinkle in her eye that I'd never seen before, I also noticed a drain in her once laughing and loving self. She went from being completely miserable to overly anxious yet passive. The change was dramatic, nowhere near the frivolous granddaughter I was so used to. She made a conscious effort to see her friends, the twins, more often, inviting them over for lunch after school, video games in the den with Emmett—and even Edward two or three times—hanging out front on the porch…but the sadness remained, visible behind that fervent glimmer for the wolf she missed so much.

She would awake early every morning, awaiting the random days she might be able to talk to her beloved, her other half, but as the weeks passed, I noticed what had been originally 'two times a week' had gone down to once. Nessie noticed too, but, much to my surprise, didn't argue over it. Something about the slump in her shoulders, her willingness to abide by the rules…it wasn't exactly _Nessie_. Though outwardly more audible, weak smiles to silence her family's worried glances, her eyes told of every pain and every joy Jacob caused her. I could see now what Alice had meant when she'd told me of Bella's lifeless living during Edward's absence. I'd thought a miserable Nessie was heartbreaking, but I'd been wrong.

The faint hearted smiling Nessie, the pleasing everyone Nessie, perhaps in hope of speaking to Jacob more often, the thoughtful and absentminded staring Nessie…this Nessie made me want to go and drag Jacob back myself.

I'd tried to get her to talk to me too, but…

"_Sweetie, you know you can come to me. Sometimes parents aren't good enough, that's what grandparents are for,"_ I'd said to her once, but as she curled in to hug me, my hopes of that beautiful smile vanished with a recited, _"I'm ok, Esme. Just, you know, getting used to Jake not being around."_

I missed her, as I could see the rest of our family did. The shining beacon of light for our family was dimming, and it hurt to see what one little, unhappy, and so-in-love young lady could bring about, not that I blamed her of course. But that was how this family worked, each of us had a place here, each of us a puzzle piece to blend into a perfect picture, if one of us deteriorated, so did we all.

I could see it the most in Bella. She seemed to know exactly what our little ray of sunshine was going through, and seeing her mirror Nessie's misery only made my heart break more.

But what could I do?

"Um, Esme?" chirped a male voice on the brink of achieving his full deepness. I looked down at the expectant dark haired boy. Oliver was looking at me worriedly, his eyebrows forming together into one. I realized I'd been silent towards a question he'd asked me. I quickly smiled warmly at him.

"I'm sorry, dear, what was that?"

"I just, uh, wanted to know if you needed any help with the dishes," he said slowly, still eyeing me suspiciously. I almost brought him towards me into a smothering hug, but refrained, knowing the motion might seem somewhat inappropriate to a growing boy.

He was another reason I found myself upset these days. After Nessie's revelation to him, I'd expected some kind of withdrawal from him, completely understandable considering the poor boy was in love with someone he couldn't have. However, much to my amazement, he remained loyal to her, smiling at her with just the right amount of adoration, resorting back to their 'just friends' relationship as if nothing had happened…but I knew it hurt him, I could see the pain in his eyes whenever he looked at her, not just for the girl he'd lost, but for said girl's happiness. He was truly in love with her, caring for her happiness no matter what it cost him…it reminded me of another wolf and now-vampire…Jacob had been the same with Bella…I hoped Oliver would find his imprint soon, the boy deserved every happiness allowed in this world, just like Jacob had been given when Nessie was born.

"Sure, Oliver, thank you."

He grinned at me half-heartedly, genuine nonetheless. I suspected my allowing him in that fateful day had something to do with it.

"He just wants dessert, that's all," chided Tom, coming over to playfully nudge Oliver. Oliver narrowed his eyes at him, though I could see the suggestion was certainly one of interest in both their eyes. He turned an eye towards Nessie, who was staring absentmindedly out the window, her empty cup still raised as if she were about to take a sip. "Yo, Renesmee, how 'bout it? Ice cream in fifteen? My treat," offered Tom. Though not as close as Oliver, I could see his efforts were just as strenuous to keep her distracted, help her cope. I was ever grateful to the twin boys.

It took a few seconds before the offer registered. Nessie blinked, then smiled the temporary 'Nessie' smile. "Not today, Tom, maybe tomorrow?" she asked.

But Oliver shook his head at her. "No way, you said that last week. You can't get rid of us that easily," he grinned at her, forcing it to look playfully menacing. Nessie looked up to me for some kind of help, knowing I would always side with her.

"I think that's a great idea, actually," I said. Nessie blinked again, her mouth dropping slightly, right before she averted her gaze back out the window and muttered a barely audible 'Ok then.'

I sighed quietly, catching Oliver's eye. We shared a momentary glance, knowing we had the same goal in mind. Tom joined the comprehending moment, shrugging as if he didn't know what more to do.

Emmett suddenly walked in with that infectious smile of his. "Did someone say ice cream? Can I get mine with extra blood, please, please, Esme?"

Oliver and Tom laughed appreciatively, but Nessie remained lifeless.

*****************************Jane**********************************

Alec and I were biding our time, not having spoken to Jeanine in hopes of further confusing our 'favorite' family. Jeanine was still preparing our 'secret weapon' back in Volterra. Things were still underway as we'd planned, and we'd agreed not to discuss anything till the day of, the day all the abrupt decisions would be made. I had no idea when that would be…then again, that was entirely the point, right?

We'd been sightseeing for the most part, in New York for the moment. I really didn't see what the big deal was with the Statue of Liberty, but Alec had insisted it was a must see. After a long evening of pesky tourists—I sneaky-snacked an elderly couple at one point, their incessant squeals of delight over the stupid monument getting on my last nerves—we'd finally made our way to the border, and I had to admit, the scenery here was much better.

"Alec," I said aloud, "I think I want to take a ride on that ferry thing, what is it called?"

Alec frowned at me. "You mean the Maid of the Mist?"

"Yes, I think with all the different types of tourists on board, not to mention the lovely falls, it'd be," I smiled knowingly, "_refreshing_, don't you think?"

He rolled his eyes, but smiled at me. "Blood is all you ever think about," he said, approval glittering his eyes, "but it is a once in a lifetime chance, I suppose we should—"

He staggered backward as suddenly the foulest, most disgusting scent crashed over us. We froze, taking in our surroundings for the verdict. I delegated taking down everyone within a mile radius, just to be sure, but Alec put his hand on my shoulder.

"This is New York, sister. Anything is possible," he said assuredly. I glared back at him. What would be the chances of one of _them_ being here? And why? We'd been very random of our whereabouts, and even then, I highly doubted one of _their_ kind would be the type to wander stupidly within our clutches…then again, they _were_ likely very stupid.

I shrugged, proceeding forward. "I suppose you could be right, brother," I said, motioning for him to follow me. We continued on our way towards the falls, but I kept my eyes open should our little 'guest' decide to come our way once more.

******************************Jake*********************************

I was getting REALLY tired of New York. Well, not of the food of course, but everything else was so different from good, old, homey Forks. I missed home, I missed my dad, but above all else, I missed Nessie.

Our short phone calls always seemed too short, too fast, and every time I felt a piece of my already fragile heart break even more. Her voice, happy in parallel to my own, was also wretched. She reminded me a lot of Bella, back when Edward had left her. It made everything so much worse knowing my precious Nessie might be going through the same thing Bella had gone through. The only thing different was that I really hadn't left her like he'd left Bella.

_Right_?

This kept going through my head, pounding my conscience heavily with its implications. Was I as bad as Edward had been? Leaving because it was what would keep my true love safe? No, I told myself stubbornly, he left with the intent of _permanency_, because he wanted her to live normally, I left _temporarily_ to keep her safe, there was a big difference.

But it nagged at me nonetheless.

I'd been spending my nights at a cheap motel I'd come by, using my money as little as possible—I was still at about twenty two thousand or so—and walking restlessly to pass the time. Walking and taking in the sights, but never actually paying for anything that wasn't free.

Today was another one of those days—weren't they all?—as I made my way over to the falls. Something about their beauty, their cool temperature, it reminded me somewhat of Forks: _wet_. I walked forlornly, avoiding any curious glances aimed my way. No matter how many days passed, or how 'scruffy' I looked, I still managed to get hit on by some wayward girl—and even two boys, much to my horror—but I suppose it had something to do with New York being one of the major tourist cities. Suddenly I froze.

I smelled them before I saw them.

Vampires.

My senses kicked into hyper speed, the control I'd worked on to pacify suddenly flaring to get out of hand. It was like a knife being stuck in my chest, the horrid stench probing the wolf in me to erupt. I felt myself shaking uncontrollably for two horrifying seconds. I needed to calm down.

_Nessie_, I thought furiously, _think of Nessie_…and just like that, my control was back.

I did my best to look inconspicuous, knowing vampires lived all over the world, and that just because there were some in New York didn't mean they were anything threatening…but somehow I knew that would be too good to be true.

The smell grew stronger, making my nose burn and my eyes water. I swept my gaze to where it came strongest…and then…I saw them.

The witch twins.

Despite my 'control' I growled, unable to keep it to myself any longer. I knew exactly who those two were, and exactly what leech given powers they were capable of. It took everything I had to not lunge out and kill them now; they hadn't seen me yet, smelled me yes—I could see their miniature porcelain noses wrinkle in unison—but my location was still unsuspected. I knew what I had to do.

I ran.

I made my way as far as I possibly could from them in the span of three minutes, only slowing down then to pull out the tiny phone I'd held so vigilantly these past few weeks. I dialed quickly, running and not caring if any humans saw the inexplicable blur racing by.

It rang once…twice…three times…and then a high voice answered.

"Alice," I said urgently but steadily, "I've got company."

Alright everyone, like I said, so sorry for not updating sooner, and even sorrier for ending with yet another cliff hanger *runs into closet to hide* but that's all I have time for today. Please review and let me know what you think. I noticed one of my last reviews (concerning the chapter where Nessie and Oliver 'mess around') was expressing their utter disgust and concern for the behavior of the two 13 year olds. I already addressed this, but I will do it one more time for the sake of quelling those thoughts. You must remember that Nessie is not really 13 mentally; in my story, her growth is dependent of her happiness, so Nessie is actually closer (mentally) to her late teens. Oliver, well, you can't honestly say there's never been a 'frisky' young man, plus he too (like all the wolves) is stuck in between his 'young man' and 'full growth'…so I don't think that the scenario is completely 'out of line'. Nonetheless, because it is not my intention whatsoever to disturb any of my readers, I will personally apologize to lannie for disturbing you with that chapter. For future reference, it is never my intention to do such a thing, so I am terribly sorry to have upset you.

Ok, so anyway, please review, review, and review some more! Lol, I will do my best to update asap, thanks!


	44. Down  and  South

It's taking me longer to update, so sorry all :( But things are going to start getting interesting, if that helps? Anyway, thank you all so much for the reviews, I feel like crying all over again, you guys make me so happy :) Well, here's the next chapter, enjoy! And of course review, please!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters.

* * *

**********************Alice**************************************

My hands were actually shaking a little after I hung up the phone. Edward was going to go crazy when he found out…Bella was going to be even worse…and Nessie…

My eyes darted to the front door. Nessie would be home from school soon, and Bella and Edward were at their cottage. I knew Carlisle should be the one to go to, but the incredible feeling that suddenly swarmed my body, my mind…there was only one person who could ease this horrid sensation.

"Jasper," I said barely above a whisper, then a bit louder, "Jasper."

I felt a slight breeze through my hair as someone suddenly stood beside me. I knew it wasn't who I wanted so desperately right now.

"Alice, honey, what's wrong," said Esme, leaning down to peer anxiously at me. Carlisle was beside her in the next second.

I looked between the two of them, my head ticking. I should tell them, they were going to find out anyway…

"Jasper," I said again, the slight decision to tell them of Jacob's predicament not escaping my mouth. "I need Jasper."

Carlisle's mouth thinned. I peered through the mist I so often looked through to see what exactly had happened. _Oh…Jasper was hunting with Emmett_.

"What's going on, Alice?" Carlisle asked me tenderly. I looked at him and Esme, and spoke swiftly.

"It's Jacob," I said, "he saw Jane and Alec."

Esme gasped. "He saw them? So then they know where he is—"

"No," I answered, then a bit more confidently, "no, they've actually been travelling, seeing the sights. I think it may have been on accident that Jacob ran into them, but so far I don't think they've seen him…" I paused, focusing on the two figures. _I saw them on a ferry, the Maid of the Mist…Alec leaning against the rail, Jane coaxing a handsome young man to a corner…_my eyes snapped awake.

"I can't see any recent decisions concerning us or Jacob, but…" I nodded my head in confusion, "Carlisle, maybe it _wasn't_ the best idea to send Jacob away…"

He put his hand on my shoulder, easing somewhat the terrible feeling: guilt. "Alice, you did what you thought was best for all of us, for Nessie," he said soothingly, "and no one in this family has ever had reason to mistrust your judgment. I'm sure it isn't any other way this time either."

I smiled weakly. Leave it to Carlisle, or Esme, to say something like that…I suddenly felt much better, however, my nerves calming down significantly. _Wow, I guess Carlisle really does know how to do that to someone…_but then another pair of hands was on me.

"Alice, what's wrong?" a pair of golden eyes looked at me worriedly, tenderly. Jasper, having somehow felt my urgency, was holding me now, and I could feel his calming gift surge through me rapidly.

"Jasper!" I said, throwing myself into his embrace, "I'm sorry, didn't mean to interrupt your hunt, it's just…I'm not sure what to do."

"It's alright, we were on our way back already," he said softly. He looked confused as he pulled back ever so slightly to get a good look at my face. "What to do about what?"

I quickly explained the phone call with Jacob, and my visions of Jane and Alec. He was silent for a moment. I could see the quiet debate going on in his head, whether to keep Jacob on the run, or bring him home. Before he could respond, however, I looked up expectantly.

Sure enough, the rest of our family, excluding Nessie, were all here. Esme had called Edward and Emmett had brought Rosalie down with Jasper's hasty retreat. I looked at Edward, watching his brow furrow as he debated the same thing as Jasper.

Bella, seeming the most anxious, finally spoke up. "What's going on?"

I averted her questioning eyes, settling on the blonde man in front of me. It was Edward who spoke.

"Jane and Alec are in New York. Jacob almost had a run in with them," he said carefully, eyeing Bella. Bella, however, didn't react as badly as I'd expect, she simply tilted her head as if asking another question.

"They don't know Jacob is there, however, it seems they will be spending some time there to see the sights, thou—"

"Seeing the sights?" cut in Emmett. "You mean the witch twins are actually on vacation?" he asked incredulously.

"So it seems," I answered, ignoring Emmett's roar of a laugh with this 'fun fact.' "I haven't seen anything in their plans concerning us, so maybe…" I faltered, looking at Edward.

"Maybe they really _were_ working for the Volturri and failed, somehow, with their 'plan'," said Edward, "It would explain their sudden disinterest in us…"

"But do you really think it would be that simple?" asked Bella skeptically. "It could just be a distraction. What if they really are looking for Jacob?" Though she appeared, for the most part, calm, I could tell how anxious the news was making her. Even for a vampire, Bella was still a worrier.

"Then Jacob must keep moving," Jasper finally spoke.

We all turned towards him.

"But if they know he's on the run, maybe we should just bring him home," continued Bella, "it would be the last place to look for him, they would never expect—"

"There's no way of knowing for sure though, Bella," Jasper interjected. "We're basically back to where we began. We just don't know enough," here he glanced apologetically at me, "it could be as Edward said, that the plan is void, but it could also be that they're trying to trick us. We need to be ready for anything."

"Well, I think we should just bring the dog home," Rosalie interrupted. We all looked at her in surprise. "Bella's right, it would be the last place they'd look if they actually are looking for him and know he's running, plus it would make Nessie happy if he were here." She smiled, knowing she'd made a good point, "I don't know about you all, but I would sure like to see my niece again and not the half vampire that's been brooding about lately."

The silence that followed was long, even for vampires. Of course it would make Nessie happy, we knew that but…

"We can put it to a vote," said Carlisle calmly, "bring Jacob back, or keep him on the run."

"Wait," Jasper again, "how about we keep him moving, at least for a week or so, to see if Jane and Alec are really tailing him. We can vote then."

Edward nodded in agreement. "That sounds alright with me. We will need to keep in touch with him throughout the whole—" he paused, and then looked at me meaningfully.

I nodded, leaving the room in a flash with my phone already dialing Jacob's number. I barely heard Edward mutter out the reason behind out interruption.

"Nessie's here."

*****************************Jacob************************************

I almost rolled my eyes at the knowledgeable vampire on the other end of the line. _Of course I wasn't going to stay in New York with the two leeches here!_ I was already on my way down south, not really sure _where_ I was going.

"Don't have to tell me even once," I laughed bitterly, my voice ridiculously calm considering how fast I was running. I was already far away from New York, and—if I remembered my geography correctly—I was probably somewhere in Pennsylvania right now.

"Jacob," Alice continued, "my suggestion is that you travel southwest, try to avoid any major cities. We can't be sure that the twins aren't following you if you show up in another tourist town."

"I guess I should be heading to good, old, little Forks then, huh?" I joked, knowing how ridiculous of a suggestion it was. The thought of returning home, however, felt like a punch in the gut. Talking to Nessie on the phone had helped A LOT, however, it didn't change the fact that I was here and she was over there, as well as everyone else that I cared about. The silence on the other line suddenly caught my attention. _Wait, were they actually considering letting me go back home?_

I forced back the excitement that threatened to go up my spine with the thought. "Alice?"

"I don't want to get your hopes up, Jacob," she answered slowly, carefully, "but coming home might be an option—"

"Are you serious?" I exclaimed, trying and failing to hide the excitement in my voice.

"Jacob," she repeated sternly, "it's not for sure. We need to see if they really are following you, which is why I need you to stay on the go. After about a week or so, we'll decide what to do next. It could be that Jane and Alec really are just on somewhat of a road trip. We can't take any risks though."

I nodded, barely even hearing her. There was a chance, slight as it may be, that I was going to get to go home to my Nessie.

******************************Oliver********************************

We had just dropped Renesmee off at her house. I'd made to follow her in—I knew Esme wouldn't mind—but Emmett and Rosalie met us outside; Emmett easily scooped up Renesmee into a teasing hug, dragging her in. She called out a faint 'bye' to us, laughing—but not _really_ laughing—as her enthusiastic uncle flipped her upside down. I would've still gone in, at least to say hi to Esme, but Rosalie blocked the doorway.

I stopped right in my tracks. Ever since…well, _that_ day, I'd grown quite fond of Esme. She seemed the most inclined to make us comfortable, especially me considering the situation. The rest of the family treated us ok; we were assigned, after all, to escort Renesmee home everyday after school, not that we minded of course. Even Edward—much to my surprise—was decent. Rosalie, however, was hardly ever around when we were over, and the few times I'd actually seen the blonde bombshell, I found myself more than uncomfortable.

Right now was one of those times.

I made to ask for Esme—it was a sure fire way of being invited for lunch—when she reached out and placed a hand on my shoulder.

I felt my face burning instantly.

"Sorry, boys, but today is not a good time to visit," she said coldly, a fake—but still brilliant—smile on her face as she regarded us. "We have some family issues we need to discuss."

"Sure thing," responded Tom, grabbing me by the scruff of the neck and pulling me backwards. I stumbled after him, not able to do anything but nod stupidly at Rosalie. She really was intimidating. Her smile simply grew and she raised a perfect eyebrow, obviously enjoying the effect her radiance had on me.

When we were finally a safe distance, Tom turned to me grinning. "Geez, Oliver, you can't go falling in love with all the vampire women around here."

I made a face. "Don't be stupid," I scowled, "Rosalie may be pretty, but she _smells_."

He laughed. "So does Esme," he said. I rolled my eyes at him as he continued, "But I can see why you like her. She cooks _good_."

My mouth watered at just the thought. Then Tom said something else. "Come to think of it, Renesmee kind of smells a little too, at first she didn't, but I've noticed it now that we're actually growing into our bodies. I don't know how you managed to actually kiss her." His laugh echoed back to me. I had stopped running.

I knew he was just kidding, being stupid the way brothers are supposed to be, but…it made me angry, sad, and—

"Hey, why are you lagging?" he was suddenly by my side, then seeing my expression, softened somewhat. "Hey, hey, I didn't mean to—well you know what I meant, I—ooof!"

"Oliver!" he scowled, rubbing his arm where I'd punched him. "What the hell, bro? I know, it was a bad joke, sorry, but you didn't have to do that!" He made to punch me back but I had already raced away, phasing as I went to boost my speed.

I could feel his feet behind me, two thuds against the earth in a steady rhythm. Then it was four.

I raced away in a blind fury. Renesmee did NOT smell—though in the back of my mind I couldn't deny that recently she wasn't smelling _as_ good as before. _What did it matter though? She was perfect…and taken…_ Even as a wolf my eyes began to moisten. The thought of Renesmee was making me crazy, Tom could vouch for that. Ever since _that_ day, things hadn't been the same…well, in a sense, yes, they were the same, but for me…I'd cried that night…and the night after that…and the night after that too. I don't know why I was being this stupid, I mean, I knew all along what I was getting myself into, knew the risks involved. And yet my heart bled every time I saw her, not simply for my own selfishness, but for the obvious sadness behind her own eyes. If only she had had her epiphany later. If we were still together, then maybe I could help take away some of the sadness so apparent behind her chocolate eyes…but I knew that, even then, she would still be utterly miserable without Jacob…

_Because Jacob is her imprint, you stupid mutt._

I couldn't help but feel foolish, because I was.

As I neared home I phased back, cursing myself for forgetting the concept of 'clothes' upon my hasty transformation. I dived into our room through the window, thankful I'd forgotten to close it this morning, changing quickly into some shorts, not bothering to put a shirt on. As I closed my drawers, however, I couldn't help myself…

The picture she'd given me. I had intended on placing it on top where I could see it always, but…well, it just didn't seem appropriate anymore, so I'd taken it out of the frame and placed it on the bottom of one of my drawers. I looked at it now, my anger dissipating immediately, followed by the intense sadness that haunted me every second of my life since we'd broken up. She'd returned the necklace to me the very next day, insisting it was much too valuable for her to keep, especially since we were now 'just friends.'

_Just friends_. Those two words were my personal hell.

The picture, however, she said was mine to keep. It made my heart break even more, seeing how even now, she understood how utterly in love I was with her, and how this one picture of her, would always be a reminder of the short yet amazing time we'd had together as a couple.

_How was I ever going to find someone as amazing as Renesmee?_ It just didn't seem possible, no matter what this whole imprinting business promised.

I leaned further against my pillow, already feeling the restrained tears began to leak. The worst part of it all was that whenever I looked at her, the few times our eyes met, behind the fake smiles, and the tiring sadness…I knew she loved me too.

It just wasn't enough.

* * *

Alright so what do you think? Poor Oliver, see what foolishness does to you? lol well I will be working on the next chapter right away, as soon as I post this one actually, so review until then, thanks.


	45. News

Whoohoo! Next chapter already :) I won't talk that much lol, so read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

****************************Jeanine**********************************

He was quite upset, that much was true, but I knew once we set everything in motion I would have to notify him of everything. It was brilliant.

The only question was, _when_?

Now would not be right. I'd been back and forth, waiting for the right moment. Gianna was ready, thankfully, just the right amount of training and lack of. I simply had to find the right time…As expected, the girl was being constantly watched and cared for, thanks to our 'slipped' reveal of the plan. However, our other 'slip' was bound to confuse them even further. Renesmee Cullen couldn't be sheltered forever, it would pass, I was sure of it.

I wondered vaguely why the shape-shifter himself wasn't as diligently watched, but didn't worry too much about it. He wouldn't be the one to worry too much about when the time came, Jane would make sure of that.

I smiled to myself as I prepared to board the plane for another trip. The fools would never know what hit them…

*****************************Nessie************************************

"I love you too, Jake, bye." I sighed as I hung up the phone. For some reason my parents had actually let me talk to Jake three times this past week, surprising considering my promised 'two a week' had dwindled to one.

Hmmm…

I had no time to think it over, however. It was Saturday morning and I was scheduled to hangout with the twins today. Scheduled. I couldn't consider our hanging out on a Saturday as 'plans' when I knew they were supposed to keep an eye on me, as everyone else was. No matter how much I promised daddy I wouldn't just take off randomly, there was always someone close by. Daddy didn't trust me…I knew, also, that should the chance arise, along with any clue as to Jake's whereabouts, daddy would have every reason not to trust me.

I missed Jake, and that was the bottom line.

"Nessie," said Alice, coming over to place a blouse against me, "what about this one?" I smiled blandly at her, not really noticing what shirt she held. It didn't really matter, I wasn't trying to impress anyone…

My heartbeat faltered a little. It was true…I wasn't trying to impress anyone anymore…meaning Oliver.

The thought of my newfound best friend brought another type of worry and sadness in me. I knew Oliver was hurting, knew that my sadness only made his worse, and the reason behind it cutting him even deeper. And yet, he remained loyal to me, trying to take his place as 'best friend' as smoothly and constructively as possible.

But not without much difficulty.

There were moments when, despite my desolate state, I could feel his longing gaze on me. There were things he did, like make sure every door was open before I went through, and absentmindedly play with my hair before pulling hastily away, that told me how deep his feelings for me were still. There were words he spoke, and the look behind them saying something completely different, something else. Unspoken words were always the worst: they said everything he and I knew still existed between us…

But it wasn't enough.

No, nothing could compare with the surge of emotion I felt when thinking of Jake. I knew that the moment I saw him, with my newfound feelings…it would be a moment of absolute glory and unbelievable happiness.

Still though, I felt so horrible about Oliver, and about my lingering feelings for him…I knew it'd only been a short time, but I could honestly say that I loved the boy, however slight in comparison to Jake…

"Renesmee!" Alice was in my face, peering at me worriedly. I blinked twice before resuming my fake smile.

"Sorry, I blanked out," I said sheepishly. Alice pursed her lips. I knew she sympathized with my state of mind—nowadays who didn't?—but we were in the middle of dressing me, and Alice wasn't one to shun when it came to clothes.

"I was asking you, Nessie," she said slowly, as if I might decide to blank out on her again, "if you would like to start wearing a proper bra again from now on instead of those raggedy sports bras."

A bra? I made a face. "But didn't you say it was too big for me?" I asked, almost afraid of the answer. Seriously, I had way more pressing matters to consider and I didn't need the idea of my rapid growth hindering me further.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Well, yes, but I think you've grown into it by now, even though you've been sad—" she snapped her mouth shut, her eyes widening for a second. A quick second, she was back to normal immediately…but I'd noticed.

"What do you mean even though I've been sad?" I asked, but Alice just shook her head.

"I was going to say that even though you're sad it doesn't mean you can't look good," she explained. I rolled my eyes at her, of course Alice would think like that. I shrugged my shoulders.

"If it fits I guess so," I said tiredly, not bothering to show my lack of enthusiasm.

"Yay!" she clapped her hands. She left my room swiftly, returning within two seconds with a box in her hands. I already knew what was in them of course.

_Great, more braziers._

I didn't think they'd fit—though for a brief moment I did recall feeling as if my chest had expanded ridiculously during my 'moment' with Oliver—but much to my surprise, and dismay…

"I knew it!" Alice jumped up. "Nessie, you are one hot little thirteen year old! Jacob is going to be awestruck when he gets back!"

A mix of emotions swept through me. _My aunt was calling me hot? How humiliating…Wait, since when was I thirteen?...Jacob coming home?..._and finally—

"You really think Jacob will think that?" I asked aloud, then covered my mouth with my hands in surprise. _Crap I said that out loud…_what I'd really wanted to ask was if she knew _when_ he was coming home…but I knew that was a lost cause right now, Jacob hadn't said anything about the possibility of coming home…

Alice sat beside me with a broad grin. "You silly girl, he's already amazed by you. He was just waiting for you to be ready for it. But it never hurts to look more dashing," she winked, holding up again the blouse—which I now realized was a dark green shade—to my torso.

_Huh, Jacob finding me attractive_…it made me blush. I couldn't help thinking how shallow it was to consider me 'hot' just because I had bigger boobs than most thirteen year olds…_would Jacob only like me because of that?_ As if she knew what I was thinking Alice kneeled down in front of me, clasping my hands.

"Nessie," she said soothingly, "I was just kidding about the 'hot' thing. Not that you don't look good, sweetie," she added hastily when my face fell, "but Jacob loves you for so much more than how you look. Luckily for him you look damn good though, huh?" she laughed. "You have good genes. It's a vampire perk."

I laughed this time, a real laugh, thinking briefly about my beautiful mother and just as handsome father. "I guess so," I paused, then added, "do you think that's why Oliver liked me? Because he thought I was," I hesitated again. I really didn't want to refer to myself as 'smoking' or anything ridiculous like that, it was too embarrassing. So instead I settled for, "pretty?"

Alice looked pensive for a second. "You know," she said, "if it were any other boy, I would say yes. But Oliver," she smiled, almost apologetically, "he's a good kid. I'm sure you being gorgeous was an added bonus, but the few times I've seen him look at you, well, to be honest I think he really does—_did_ love you." She grimaced slightly, noting her mistake.

But I didn't need a quick fix. I knew Oliver still loved me. I put on a smile again. "Yeah, he is a good friend," I sighed, then added, "I hope he finds someone great someday."

Alice just laughed, a knowing smile on her small face. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about him too much Nessie. Those wolves, they always manage to find the girl of their dreams."

I poked my head out of the blouse just as she finished talking and looked at her confusedly. _Had Alice seen Oliver meeting the girl of his dreams? But I thought Alice couldn't see the wolves in her visions?_

Alice just ruffled my hair lightly. "Get dressed, Ness. It's going to be a good day today."

"Ok…" I said…that look on her face…it was another one of those 'I know something you don't know' looks…what more could there possibly be that they were keeping from me?

***************************Jacob************************************

_Oh man, I got to get the recipe to these green chicken enchiladas._

When I'd finally stopped running for the third time, I found myself in New Mexico. I'd stopped only two other times, staying somewhere in South Carolina and then again in Kentucky. I was worried this place might be Santa Fe—I knew that to be one of the tourist cities I was trying to avoid—but it turned out to be Las Cruces. From the looks of things, this was another one of those 'small' towns, but it was waaaaaay different from Forks.

For one, even though it was barely the beginning of February, it was damn hot! I couldn't see any signs of snow having been here either, almost as if Las Cruces, NM didn't have winter. For a man coming from rainy, cold, and wet Forks, Washington…

This was a stranger's land.

It was Saturday and even then most of the population seemed to be at home. It wasn't until I found a Wal-Mart—I didn't actually go in—that I realized this was more of a retired community. Little old ladies and men littered most of the small parking lot, an occasional teenager here and there. It was weird.

I didn't explore the town for too long—there really wasn't much to see—my stomach was doing quite a number in angry repercussion of not eating. _Better eat something before I pass out,_ I'd thought to myself. I went into the first restaurant I saw at that moment, a small building with the name 'Robertos' across the front.

God must have been with me with this most fortunate stroke of luck. _They had the best, most incredibly delicious green chicken enchiladas I'd ever tasted!_ By the end of my twenty minutes there, I'd had about five orders—about fifteen enchiladas—and what was even more surprising: the order taker didn't look in the least bit surprised.

_I guess people like to eat here._

I was just stepping outside, ready to find someplace to stay—I figured this would be a good place to lay low for awhile—when my phone rang.

I answered without looking to see who it was. "Yeah?"

"Jake," it was Bella, "I have great news."

My heart stopped beating.

"Where are you right now?" she asked, a tinge of excitement in her voice.

"Someplace called Las Cruces, it's in New Mexico," I answered, my throat tightening with the news I so urgently wanted to hear.

"New Mexico?" she said, "Wow, that's far. I bet you like the food there, huh? I think I remember Renee saying you haven't had real Mexican food until you've had some by the borde—"

"Bella!" I cried urgently, unable to take it anymore.

She laughed. "You can come home Jacob."

I dropped the phone as I jumped up into the air with a loud "YEEEEAAAAHHHHH!" no one noticed considering the street was quite empty.

"Jacob? Jake?"

_Oh right_…I picked up the phone, grinning from ear to ear as I spoke. "Yeah, yeah, I'm here."

I could see the smile on Bella. "Well what are you waiting for, if you leave now, who knows, you might be able to get here by midnight. So hurry up Cinderella, get your butt home!"

I laughed, already racing through the streets at lightning speed. "I'm on my way."

* * *

Yay! Jacob's going home! I bet most of you are thrilled for him, lol, and I don't blame you. Thanks for the reviews, I realize I haven't given much time between this chapter and the previous one for people to review, but that just means I'll expect double haha! Just a quick fact I'd like to elaborate on (well, I guess it would kind of be an opinion, but I'd like to consider it a fact hehe). The restaurant I mentioned, Robertos, is an actual restaurant located in Las Cruces, NM. If you ever do pass by there (like if you're going to El Paso or something) I highly recommend those enchiladas, they are DELICIOUS! A bit spicy, yes, but soooooo worth it. Anyway, I will update asap, already have some of the next chapter written out lol, so review, review, let me know what you think, love you all :-) thanks.


	46. Uh  Oh

I have most of today off so I'm going to be typing like crazy! Thanks so much for the reviews, you guys are the best—though you already know that ;) – and I can't help but repeat it over and over! Anyway, just to give you a heads up, yes Jacob is on his way home to his beloved Nessie, however…*this is where I get ready to run* there may be some more 'surprises' along the way, mwuahahaha! But it just makes the ending I have in mind all the better. Also, a lot of people have requested that Oliver imprint on a nice girl (or boy? Haha jk not in this fanfic anyway)…I hadn't originally planned on that—though the thought _had_ crossed my mind—but I suppose I would be an absolute horrid person if I didn't allow our loyal little wolf some happiness, so…we'll see what happens, lol, I don't want to promise anything yet. Alright, enough babbling, here's chapter forty-six, read, review, and enjoy!

Once again I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

**************************Tom***************************

We arrived earlier than planned, thanks to Oliver's incessant whining. Nessie was still getting ready upstairs so Esme entertained us with a mini buffet of breakfast entrees in the meantime.

You had to give it to her, for being a vampire, Esme was awesome.

I was busy stuffing my face with some kind of egg and cheese casserole—_can you even make a casserole out of eggs?_—when Renesmee's distinct smell wafted in. It wasn't as bad as I'd chided Oliver about a week before, but as we grew I suddenly became more aware of the 'vampire' in her. I muffled out a quick 'hi Renesmee' not even bothering to look up as she walked in to join us for breakfast. I knew before even feeling, Oliver tense beside me. _Poor kid…but it's his own fault, the dumb pup!_

"Morning, Renesmee," he said, momentarily seizing his 'mouth stuffing.' I glanced up towards the girl plaguing his dreams and almost stopped my own 'mouth stuffing.'

Renesmee looked _really_ pretty today…though I couldn't quite place why I was suddenly noticing; I knew our friend was a looker, so what was different?

She sat down, avoiding Oliver's eyes and serving herself some pancakes. I kept my own gaze on my plate, glancing suspiciously at her. _There was definitely something_—

Then I saw it. As she reached over for the syrup a small part of her bra strap showed. _Ah, I see, back to wearing one of those…no wonder she looks…hotter_. I shook my head in disgust. Surely I couldn't be thinking about _that_ kind of stuff of one of my best friends, she was practically like a sister to me! I looked over at Oliver. If I noticed, he would surely have noticed…

But Oliver was, once again, bent over his plate, intent on not looking up anymore. He mumbled something incoherent to Esme about her cooking, a second where I noticed his just as brief glance towards Renesmee.

And there was _that_ look again.

Heartbreak.

I sighed aloud, causing Renesmee and Oliver to both look at me in surprise.

"What?" I asked innocently, "Can't a guy get sentimental over heavenly food?"

Esme smiled at me but with knowing eyes. "You're too kind, Tom."

Oliver just rolled his eyes at me. Complimenting Esme was more of his thing. Renesmee didn't even blink, just went back to her slow eating and blank stares.

It's going to be a _fun_ day…

*****************************Emmett***************************

"WHAT'S THE MATTER, NESSIE?" I yelled back, the wind sending her hair up wildly. Tom and Oliver were laughing as she struggled to put it back into a ponytail. It was no use however, not with how fast I was driving.

She stuck out her tongue at me. "You don't have to yell, Emmett," she said in her normal tone, "I can hear you just fine." Then as an afterthought, "Alice is going to kill you when she finds out you messed up my hair."

"I KNOW," I continued yelling, "SHE'LL GET OVER IT, AS FOR THE YELLING, THIS WAY IS JUST SO MUCH MORE HUMANISH!"

Despite herself she giggled…which only egged me on, of course. We were already reaching Port Angeles and so as soon as I dropped them off…

"Alright, boys," I said, lifting them out one by one like children. Tom struggled against me, clearly embarrassed. Oliver blushed but didn't fuss as much. Nessie looked at me with a dropped jaw. "You two behave and play nice with the pretty girl," I said, placing them on the sidewalk so that they were side by side. Tom made to retort back angrily but I tilted his head, along with Oliver's, down so that I could give them a big wet kiss on their heads.

"Mwuah!" I said aloud in emphasis, then because I absolutely couldn't contain myself, I wrinkled my nose and began wafting my hand in front of them. "You guys smell, don't tell me you forgot to shower _again_?"

Tom blushed crimson as a group of girls passed by and began giggling hysterically. Oliver didn't notice them but his ears turned red nonetheless. Nessie was laughing.

"Damnit, Emmett," scowled Tom, "the blonde one was kind of cute."

I rolled my eyes, eyeing my now grinning—genuinely grinning—niece. "Just flex your muscles, like this," I raised my arms, "and you'll get all the girls you want, right Ness?"

Nessie rolled her eyes, grabbing hold of each twin by an elbow and steering them away from me. "Come on guys, dear uncle Emmett is having _way_ too much fun."

I laughed and got back in my jeep. If only she knew what was in store for her later tonight—or early morning. It took all I had not to blurt out that Jacob was coming home; I knew it was bound to keep her smiling the rest of the day, but we'd all planned on surprising her instead.

It would do her good, after all.

I waved at the three scuttling figures ahead of me, smiling wider when I noticed Tom actually flexing his biceps as they passed a couple of teenage girls.

"That's my little man!" I yelled. Tom stopped right away and I could see the back of his neck darken significantly. I burst out laughing.

These twins, they made it too easy sometimes.

*****************************Oliver*************************************

Today was too similar to the day I had my first kiss with Renesmee…my first kiss ever actually. The only difference was instead of going to the video game store, we were heading straight to our hideout. We only had Renesmee till about six so we couldn't afford to take her anywhere else. Her parents made it very clear she be home on time.

The ride over was supposed to buy us some of that time—though with the way Emmett acted I knew Tom would've preferred we'd ran over here—and so we had about half an hour before the movie started. To be honest I didn't even know what movie we were watching, something with action hopefully.

"Hey!"

I felt someone punch me on the shoulder. Whirling around I realized it was just Tom. "What?" I asked, scowling in annoyance. Renesmee looked between the two of us with a frown.

"I just wanted to know if you wanted anything to munch on. Geez, Oliver, I know you're still upset but you got to stop spacing out on me, I didn't have a choice BUT to punch you," he said roughly, slightly out of breath with his little outbreak. At this I noticed Renesmee's suddenly rosy cheeks and downcast gaze. She knew very well that she was the reason for my constant 'spacing out.' I could even see a hint of a wet eyelash…it was enough to send me over the edge.

I glared at Tom.

Just because we all knew didn't mean he had to say it out loud; I didn't want to give Renesmee any further reasons to get upset, she'd been through a lot already these past weeks, and here my idiot brother had just made her cry on my account. I turned on Tom angrily.

"Can I speak to you for a moment?" I growled. He raised his eyebrows, throwing an indirect glance towards Renesmee. "We'll be right back, Renesmee," I answered for him, yanking him by the hem of his sleeve with more force than necessary. He muttered a couple of indecent words but I ignored him.

As soon as we were in the restroom, I slammed him against the wall. "What the _hell_ is your problem?"

He glared back at me. "I could ask you the same thing."

I slammed him against the wall again, he pouted with the pain but didn't fight back. It only angered me more.

"You know damn well what my problem is. Why do you have to bring it up, huh? And especially in front of Renesmee! I know what's wrong with me, so let me deal with it—"

Tom, with lightning speed, managed to grab me and flip me around so that now I was the one pinned up against the wall.

"And you call _this_ dealing with it?" he hissed, his dark brown eyes gone a deadly black. I stared at him with my jaw slightly dropped, grimacing where his hands pressed against my arms through the thin material of my shirt.

"All you ever do now is mope and whine! '_Oh_ _poor little old me, I got dumped, blah, blah_—well let me give you a little news flash, _Oliver_! People get dumped! It's not the end of the world! And, oh yeah, I almost forgot; SHE'S JACOB'S IMPRINT! Hate to break it to you, _brother_, but I warned you! So stop acting like a damn baby and GET OVER IT!"

He pushed me farther up the wall and let me drop like a load of bricks. He was panting, the fury over my behavior showing in every detail of his body. I sat on the floor, stunned with his flare-up. He turned away from me, grabbing some paper towels to wipe away the sweat covering his face.

My silence only lasted about a second.

In a flash I never thought myself capable of, I was on him. He barely had time to turn around and gape in surprise. We rolled on the floor, failing and punching, kicking and even pulling each other's hair.

"YOU TOLD ME SO!"

"Oliver—"

"HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO GET OVER IT WHEN—OOF!"

"OLIVER, GET A GRIP!"

"I DON'T WANT TO GET OVER HER! I LOVE H—"

"DON'T EVEN SAY IT, JUST STOP ALREADY! SHE BELONGS TO JACOB, YOU STUPID—OW!"

"Boys!"

"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT, I—"

"Hey! Both of you, list—"

"YOU SURE HAVE A FUNNY WAY OF SHOWING IT. YOU'RE ACTING LIKE A LITTLE GIRL—UUUH!"

"THERE'S MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM, TOM, I—"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

The familiar voice got our attention at once; I was in the middle of head-locking Tom while his left hand held a tuft of my hair—still on my head—and his other hand pulled back for another punch. We both stared in horror at the person standing not two feet away from us.

If there was ever more of a twin moment in the history of twin moments, it was now. We gulped simultaneously and gave a nervous laugh, saying two words at exactly the same time in the same strained voice.

"Hi, Sam."

***************************Jane*********************************

"That is excellent news, Jeanine. This conversation is being protected, right?...Excellent. Keep us under cover until we get there, any slip now and everything will be ruined, do you understand?...You have Gianna with you, right?...Don't worry, the shape-shifter will be the least of our problems. From your reports it doesn't seem they've even bothered looking out for him, not _really_ anyway…Great, we'll be there in several hours." I hung up the phone and looked over at my eager brother.

"Alec," I said, smiling smugly, "It's time."

* * *

So, more of the 'plan' is sort of kind of revealed, but what could that mean anyway? And what is up Tom's butt, geez, getting on his poor brother's case like that (despite the fact that Oliver is kind of acting like a baby?...) Also, a new face, Sam! I'm not too big a fan of Sam, but…well, it doesn't hurt, right? Anyway, thanks so much to all my reviewers, you guys keep me going. Please review and let me know what you think, thanks!


	47. On  the  Brink

Hopefully this will be up soon (it turns out I'm going to be busy with work bleh!). Anyway, in the near future, the mysterious 'plan' is going to unfold, along with some other mysteries revealed. It's going to be a bit confusing in parts, heartbreaking in others, and action-packed! (that is…if I can properly write out the 'action scenes'…remember this is my first fanfic and writing is coming to me better as I go along lol). So everyone bear with me. Also, I might do what I said I was going to do earlier—go back and rewrite/edit/revise the first chapters, as well as insert the 'scene dividors' which I barely realized existed and *again, don't hate me* I think it would only be fair to let you know that if I _do_ do this, it may be at a pivotal moment considering many of the upcoming chapters are going to be crucial towards the plot, so just be ready for it *as well as not hunting me down to kill me lol*. Well, anyway, thanks so much to all my reviewers, yay! You should all receive a mountain lion for dinner, mmmm, with lots of Tabasco sauce ;) Ok, enough talk, read, review and enjoy!

Again, as if anyone didn't already know lol, I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters.

* * *

***************************Sam*********************************

Renesmee Cullen had asked me to see if everything was ok, no doubt having heard the struggle with her enhanced hearing…but this is not at all what I'd expected.

I didn't know what to say. From Tom's heated explanation to the flustered, downcast face of Oliver…I knew what I was witnessing was nothing short of the truth. Tom continued to glare at his brother after his brief explanation. I didn't want to believe it, couldn't believe it, _this was someone's imprint we were talking about!_

But one look into Oliver's dark and lonely eyes confirmed everything.

I gazed at them in silence for a moment. If any of my brothers had EVER tried something like this with Emily…I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose in attempt to control the raging anger suddenly present in my entire body, angry with the mere thought and angry with myself for not keeping a better eye on the two. If we had let them join the pack we would've been able to avoid all this chaos. _When Jacob found out…_

My eyes snapped open, and I openly growled at the two. They took an uncertain step backwards; I almost laughed bitterly. They were lucky it was me who found out first and not Jacob.

"Oliver," I began, my authoritative voice taking over, "you realize there will be consequences to your actions," I stated rather than asked. The boy simply nodded, terror now streaked into his dark eyes in addition to the other mass of emotions. "Because you are one of our newest members," at this Tom seemed to perk up, no doubt eager to be considered a 'true' member. I continued, "I can't exactly blame you _completely_ since none of us saw it coming. However," and here I paused, knowing I was only giving a fraction of what was really to come when Jacob got back, "what you did, Oliver, was entirely and disgustingly wrong."

He winced at the glare coming from me, his shoulders sagging even more as he cowered slightly towards his brother. I remained indifferent. "Because I am Jacob's second I _would_ give an according punishment, however, considering it _does_ involve Jacob's imprint," I paused, noticing Oliver's wide eyes, "I think it best if _he_ handle you to the best of his abilities."

Tom suddenly looked scared for his brother. "But Sam, I thought you would be the one to—"

"Quiet." I said solemnly. "I knew if it were my imprint," again the swelling rage, I breathed deeply to stay in control, "I would want to deal with him myself as well. And given the current circumstances, we don't need any more problems so this will have to wait until the right time."

Oliver had finally looked up, his eyebrows arching confusedly. "Given what circumstances? That Jacob's gone?"

"Well yes, but also the dan—" I stopped, unsure of whether to disclose the impending danger to the young wolves…Edward hadn't said anything about not telling them, but…I knew if it were Jacob he would want to keep them out of as much trouble as possible, as did I—though I couldn't help but wonder if he'd feel the same once he found out what Oliver had attempted with Renesmee.

"Also what?" asked Tom, mirroring the same perplexed expression. I shook my head and smiled gently.

"Never mind. We are finished here until Jacob gets back. Go outside, Renesmee's waiting for you, and _you_," I looked directly at Oliver, "behave."

Oliver nodded timidly, following quickly behind Tom. I knew the young boy was terrified of what awaited him when our Alpha got back…perhaps I should've been the one to punish him after all…Emily's smile flashed through my mind. I growled.

No, I was doing him a favor by even letting him still _talk_ to the girl. Jacob had every right to handle him as he would.

***************************Nessie******************************

Awkward.

That was what sitting through the entire movie felt like. This time I sat on the edge with Tom to my left and Oliver by his left. It was completely understandable, of course, but…the boys were nervous over something. As soon as they'd walked out, Sam slightly on their heels, the first thing I noticed was dried up blood on Oliver's shirt—it was no temptation for me seeing as how their blood smelled ridiculously unappetizing—and made to go over immediately when Sam intervened by asking me how I was doing, attempting small talk I found hard to respond to. I had only ever seen Sam—much less talked to him—about three times during my visits to La Push. It didn't make sense that he be asking 'how I was doing.'

After another five minutes of uncomfortable banter I found myself sighing in relief when Tom announced the movie was about to start. My relief didn't last long though, it was painfully obvious the way the twins sat that something had shaken them up, more so with Oliver.

I wanted badly to pull him outside and ask what was wrong, but I knew I couldn't. It would imply too much and Oliver could be nothing more than my friend now.

I tried focusing on the movie to keep my mind averted. We were watching one about werewolves this time—ironic no?—and once again they had it all wrong. Tom even laughed out loud when the protagonist werewolf actually stuck his head out of his girlfriend's window to howl at the moon. It was a genuine laugh, one that eased my worry slightly, but only slightly…Oliver still looked like he was going to be sick.

We finally left the theatre, the same uneasiness plaguing our little trio. I did my best to keep smiling and laughing seeing as how in the past few weeks it was usually the other way around, them trying to cheer me up…but Oliver only managed a weak smile here and there.

We ate at the same place we'd gone to last time. Tom seemed to be back to normal, joking and even flirting with the waitress as she asked for our drinks, but Oliver remained as if in a trance, speaking only when necessary to me, almost as if he was avoiding it completely. It startled me, and I found tears wanting to make their way out.

What was going on?

As discreetly as I could, I reached underneath and grabbed Tom's knee.

_Why is Oliver so upset?_

He'd been in the middle of chewing on a breadstick and suddenly yelped when my thoughts flooded into his mind, looking at me with surprise in his eyes. This was the first I'd ever talked to Tom this way.

_Stop acting weird, be normal. _

He gave a slight nod.

_I'm going to the bathroom. Meet me there._

"I'll be back." I said, getting up quickly and making my way towards the restrooms. A second later, Tom joined me.

"Wow, I forgot you could do that," he started, "that's a really coo—hey!"

I pulled him into the girls restroom before he could finish. I'd already checked to make sure no one was in there. Luckily it was empty, but just in case…

"Renesmee!" he hissed. "This is the GIRLS restroom!"

I ignored him, hauling him to the farthest stall from the door. He struggled against my iron grip, but I managed to keep him in my grasp. He scowled at me as I locked the door.

"Now," I said, turning towards him and crossing my arms, "talk."

*************************Alec*************************************

This was an interesting setting indeed. I'd expected that, given Jeanine's handy gift, we could just do this in the open so far as it was a safe distance from the mind-reader—he was the only one, really, that might be immune to this type of shield…well, him and the emotion guy, but the blonde vampire's gift didn't pose as any kind of threat.

"Now what are we supposed to do?" I said aloud. We'd travelled all morning and it was only barely the afternoon. How much longer would we have to wait? "This is quite boring."

Jane looked at me thoughtfully. "Well, we could go hunting for some bears?" she said sweetly. Jeanine laughed beside her.

"Don't be stupid," I scowled, shuddering in disgust, "Bears. I don't know how the human-loving idiots do it."

"We could go out, just for a little bit—" began the other female vampire, eagerly edging towards the exit.

"No," snapped Jane, her eyes narrowing when the vampire continued to loom near the exit. "Gianna," Jane warned.

"Oh but it would only be for a second, Jane, the humans won't even notice, they—" she stopped abruptly, blanking out completely whilst staring open-mouthed at nothing.

Jane turned her gaze towards me. "Thank you, brother, though I could've just silenced her myself, you know."

I nodded. "I know, but this way she'll be more rested for later. We wouldn't want for her to go down _that_ easily after all." I smiled wickedly at the two remaining vampires. Jeanine looked a little uncertain.

"Does it really have to end like that though?" she suddenly asked, "I mean, if she were just hurt _enough_, maybe it would be sufficient reason to implica…" she faltered, Jane's evil glare on her.

"No," Jane finished for coldly. "She must be sacrificed for the better good. And besides, as a human serving us was all she was ever good for. It's only logical she continue to do so as a vampire. She should be proud to be serving the better good."

Jeanine muttered something that sounded like 'better good for vampires, you mean.' Jane eyes blazed as she stepped menacingly towards her. "I'm sorry, can you repeat that, _sweetie_?"

Jeanine took a step backwards, apologizing hastily. "I'm sorry, Jane. Yes, yes, of course, you're right."

Jane smiled. "Of course I am." She turned to me. "Maybe we should hunt a bear or two, at least for Gianna. We wouldn't want her running off at the wrong time after all."

I shrugged. "I can keep her like this till they arrive?" I offered, but Jane shook her head.

"No, you're right about keeping her rested. We should at least be able to have _some_ entertainment for all the trouble we've gone through to get to here. Even if it's with," she wrinkled her nose in disgust, "_animal_ blood. It will give her some strength nonetheless."

I smiled. "Alright then. Should you go or I?"

Jane smiled back at me. "You can go. I'll take her from here."

I shrugged and made my way towards the darkness, Gianna suddenly coming to her senses as I departed. I glanced once before continuing; sure enough, Gianna was already cringing with pain on the floor.

* * *

So Sam did get a little say after all. I don't know, I just didn't think it would be fair for him to do something to Oliver when Jacob is obviously going to pummel the poor kid when he finds out…or not lol, like I said, much more to come ;) Anyway, coming up next, Nessie is finally going to learn about imprinting! In case anyone didn't know already, just because she realized her love for Jacob doesn't mean she knows it's because of her being his imprint; I debated on revealing this so soon, but…why not? And even more interesting, Jane, Alec, Jeanine, and Gianna! Anyone have any idea what's going on? I hope I'm not confusing you all too much, but know this: something MAJOR is going to happen soon. I'd say within the next four to five chapters the 'plan' is finally going to unfold :) Thanks so much for all the reviews everyone, you really keep me going and if it weren't for you I might not have wanted to finish the story. So go ahead, review now! I'll update by tomorrow hopefully, thanks.


	48. Keeping Pace

Hello everyone! This update will be up faster than I thought hehe so hurray! Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, they keep my brain—and my heart awww!—going lol. I want to give out a special thanks to all the unregistered reviewers. I try my best to respond to each review, however since the unregistered readers do not have a link I am unable to personally thank you. So here is me thanking you now: THANK YOU! I love you all for being so supportive, please keep on reviewing for me and I will do my best to update sooner :) Alright, alright enough love, it's embarrassing (jk!) here's the next chapter, read, review and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's ingenious work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

*************************Jacob********************************

"Alright, alright," I muttered, even then not managing to keep the goofy smile off my face. I knew it was childish, but I'd been ranting the same jingle in my head all day since the phone call—

_I get to see Renesssmee! I get to see Renesmee! I get to see Renesmee!..._

My stomach was growling ferociously, however, and so I made myself stop. Fifteen minutes wouldn't hurt. As I slowed down to make my entrance into the city, I became aware of a different yet familiar scent: the ocean. Wheeling around in confusion in the midst of what was a ridiculously grand city I focused west…sure enough, there it was.

_I must be close already!_

Like an overgrown pup, I frolicked—_wait, did I say frolicked?...who am I kidding, heck yeah I frolicked!_—towards the heart of the city, wondering but not really caring where I was. I took in my surroundings: interstate five, interstate eight, Seaworld drive—_Seaworld_!

I remembered Embry mentioning going to Seaworld on his trip to San Diego, he'd said there weren't many Seaworld's by the western border…_Huh, so I'm in San Diego, California_…_how far is that from Forks_? I couldn't remember where exactly the city was located, close to Mexico or Washington?

My stomach growled again. "First things first!" I said aloud, causing some little surfer dude to jump back in surprise—_seriously, does everyone have to jump at the sound of my voice?_ Maybe it was my excess of enthusiasm.

I noticed a little, dingy looking place with a faded sign reading—

"_Robertos_!" I exclaimed. I knew it wasn't the same, but it worked for me once, why not twice?

I wasn't wrong. _They had monster burritos_! I ordered three and was surprised to find that afterwards I was completely full.

_Note to self: have Esme learn how to make giant tortillas._ I licked my fingers, cleaning them the best way to do so. _Also, get delicious green sauce recipe_.

I gave one last stretch before running forward again. I decided I didn't need to know how close San Diego was to Forks, I was going to get there by nightfall no matter what.

******************************Tom*************************************

"So," she paused, her eyes furrowing in concentration, "let me get this straight. An imprint is like, a destined soul mate?"

"Yes."

"And no matter what age, a person's imprint will love them no matter what?"

"Yes."

"And," she hesitated, a nostalgic look coming over her, "_I'm_ Jake's imprint?"

"Correct."

"So that's why he's always been around to protect me?"

"Yup."

"And all the wolves knew about 'us?'"

"Yes ma'am."

"So you knew all along?"

"Yes."

"And so did Oliver." She finally said, not really asking me anymore. I remained silent, my hands in my pockets and my eyes glancing every few seconds beneath my hair towards the confused girl in front of me. She crossed the restroom—I'd convinced her to just talk in the empty bathroom instead of being crammed into a tiny stall—finally heaving herself onto the sink as she looked at me through intelligent eyes.

"Why did he…if he knew all along…?" her voice wandered off. I sighed, stretching up as I joined her on the wall-to-wall sink. I hesitantly placed my hand on the upper part of her back, rubbing it in circles when she didn't reject the contact.

"He did it because he fell for you, Renesmee." I answered her quietly. I waited for a response, but none came. It wasn't until I felt the up heaving of her shoulders that I realized she was crying.

_Damnit_…

"Renesmee—" I began, but suddenly the door opened. I panicked and began to slide off the sink and make a run for it—with my speed I could make it look like I hadn't been here at all—but before I could do anything…

"GET THE HELL OUT!" barked out Renesmee. The teenage girl that'd been on the verge of entering, seeing the expression on Renesmee's face, fled. I stared at her in surprise, my hand freezing its comforting motion. I understood she was upset but—

"Renesmee?" I asked cautiously, afraid of what those eyes would hold for me now. But when she finally met my gaze, I could only see one thing.

_Pain_.

"Tom," she said through a sniffle, "I don't want you to tell Oliver anything. No, please," she added when I made to interrupt, "I'm pretty sure he's already going to get the worst of it from Jake, when…when he gets back," she said determinedly, looking away with the other matter entirely. I nodded slowly, knowing there was complete truth to _that_.

_Tom?_

I jumped again, startled with her _other_ way of communicating. I gasped softly when she began to show me scenes of her and Oliver together, nothing too private but meaningful nonetheless. I caught a glimpse of the picture I knew my brother had stowed away in his drawer, and a moment of their first kiss in the cave…_I fell for him too, so I guess there must've been some kind of flaw with this imprint,_ she thought weakly, another tear trickling down her pretty face. It made my heart break, not just for her but for my brother. I refrained from reaching out and catching that single tear…I could see how easily it was to fall for Renesmee Cullen, how easy it had been for Oliver; I just had never, unlike Oliver, even considered it.

A knock at the door caused us both to look up.

"Ma'am? Is everything ok in there?" asked a male voice I recognized belonging to one of the managers.

I turned to Renesmee, who smiled softly at me. "You should probably zoom past when he opens the door," she offered.

"Alright," I agreed, giving her a smile in return, "don't worry. I won't say anything to him."

I made my way to the door, getting ready to race out before anyone suspected anything.

"Tom?" I turned around towards Renesmee, just as the door began to push open.

"Thanks."

"Anytime," I grinned, before breezing out through a now flustered middle aged man as he poked his head in.

***************************Nessie*************************************

Lunch went by somewhat smoother than the movie. Oliver even managed to laugh when Tom explained that the reasoning behind his time in the bathroom was due to an over indulgence of chili cheese fries from the night before. We left in better moods, the three of us, and swiftly made our way towards out hideout.

The whole imprinting thing had really caught me off guard. Especially about the part where they could imprint on even a baby…like Jake had with me. I shook my head as we ran, noticing the funny stare Oliver gave me. I just flashed him a quick smile, nothing too bright though—I still remembered a similar time when I'd made him trip—and continued on ahead. It was strange, falling in love, or knowing you were going to fall in love with the woman a baby was going to become. If I were anyone else, and if I didn't know Jake the way I did, I would probably think the whole ordeal was a little sick…but Jake wasn't sick at all. He'd waited for me after all, and that had to count for something.

But if I really was Jake's imprint, then why had I fallen for Oliver?

I chanced a glance back at the wolf in question, but he seemed to be lost in his own world too…his own world of misery. I quickly looked away and blinked back tears. Crying seemed to be like some kind of forte of mine nowadays…no matter how much I knew Oliver was at fault for his own misery, or how upset I was at him for not honoring the imprint code, I still felt horribly ashamed and responsible for my best friend. How could I not? I still loved him, after all…

We approached the hidden entrance and I expertly jumped in midair to spiral downward into the hole. It was only a few seconds after I landed that I heard the following two 'thumps' land behind me. I began to race through, faster than I normally would. Speed was somewhat of an escape for me. I could see the walls clearly as I swerved left and right to avoid bumping into them, the soft panting of my friends somewhere behind me.

It suddenly dawned on me that this was exactly what Jake had been trying to tell me, not just that he loved me, but the reason behind his love…and mine apparently. If he had just told me from the beginning, Oliver and I would've never happened, and hence we wouldn't be going through this emotional rollercoaster…Anger made me go faster. Jake _had_ wanted to tell me, but my family, my overprotective family, had stopped him. I recalled the night I'd heard Carlisle and Jake arguing…_You don't understand, she's not even a teenager yet!...I know, I know, but she needs to be told…Renesmee's still a child!_...it made unbearably perfect sense now.

At the last minute I realized I was nearing the ledge, but instead of stopping—

I leaped out, reveling in the height and the speed before I landed on all fours on the far ground below. I heard Oliver gasp from somewhere still up on the edge as he clambered down towards me.

"Damn, Renesmee, that was an impressive jump!" he said, his mouth turned into a genuine grin. "I don't think even Tom could do that jump!"

I laughed with him. "Yeah, well, you know, vampire genes." I said, faking a bow and parade wave. Oliver laughed at my corny imitation, and for a nice moment, we were just how we used to be, two carefree friends. After the moment, however, I suddenly looked around, tilting my head in confusion.

"Hey, where's Tom?"

Oliver was still subsiding. "Huh? Oh…wasn't he in front of you?" he asked, the same confusion in his eyes.

I nodded my head. "No, I came down first, remember."

He blinked, an odd expression coming over him. "Yeah, but…after awhile I could've sworn he passed me…"

We both looked up towards the entrance of the cave expectantly, but the twin was nowhere to be seen.

"That's…weird…" Oliver said slowly.

A though suddenly occurred to me. "Why don't you phase, then you could just find him that—"

But Oliver was shaking his head. "No, remember we can't communicate when we're down here," he explained, still looking up anxiously for Tom.

I was even more confused. "But I thought you just meant with the other wolves..."

He simply nodded no before speaking. "You would think it'd be like that, but no. We can't communicate at all down here," he paused, then smiled suddenly. "You know, I bet he's just trying to scare us, huh?"

I laughed, a bit nervously. For some reason I was beginning to feel an uncomfortable tightening in my stomach. "Yeah, maybe."

Oliver didn't laugh long, however, which only made me feel more uneasy.

_Where was Tom?_

* * *

**This is going to be a pretty long author's note so if you're not interested stop reading haha.** **If you're a music person like myself, I have a special treat for you following my notes, so scroll down if you just want to skip to it!**

Oooh! The suspense lol. Several things about this chapter: Tom and Nessie's talk, too cute! Who would've thought, Tom has a sensitive side! And as for Nessie…she's a bit unsure of how to handle the imprint deal, mostly because she sees that Oliver is already going through the consequences. The words in _italics_ following Nessie's little anecdote (where Carlisle and Jacob were arguing) is directly from chapter one, just in case you didn't get that part. Oh and again, Robertos is really there! Not the same of course: I believe its a chain of family owned businesses, the one I described is in the Mission Bay area and yes, amazingly delicious monster burritos at a good price lol.

I also wanted to clarify some things regarding Sam and Gianna. In Breaking Dawn, yes, BOTH Sam and Jacob are alpha's, however, in my story, I've decided that Jacob—considering he is the _rightful_ heir—has taken over the alpha position, and since Sam is just so 'almighty' (ha!) I had no choice but to make him Jacob's second.

Gianna, in case you don't recall, is the very same girl from New Moon that served as a sort of receptionist for the Volturri with the hopes of being turned some day. It was brought to my attention (thanks Tony) that Stephanie Meyer said something about Gianna not ever making it into the vampire world…but I kind of wrote this before I knew that lol, so for the sake of keeping my plot in tact, Gianna DOES actually make it into the vampire world (I mentioned in an earlier chapter in one of Alice's visions that the most activity she'd seen the Volturri do was finally decide to change the human into a vampire), at least…for now, hehe. She is still somewhat of a newborn in my story, so that is also why Alec and Jane were 'forced' to keep her still. If anyone has any questions regarding these two characters, or anything else for that matter, don't hesitate to ask; I answer pretty much anything.

Thanks so much for all the reviews once again, I'll be awaiting your thoughts! Coming up VERY soon, the plan! Thanks.

**LITTLE TREAT**

And finally, a little music treat! I used to be a major band geek, and so when I wrote out Jacob's POV in this chapter, I couldn't help but mentally write out the jingle he sang about seeing Renesmee. So, any other band geeks (I know there's at least one since they signed ' band geek') and well, anyone who appreciates music—or my ridiculous ranting haha—this is what I thought the jingle should sound like.

(time signature: 4/4)

(half note) I-

(triplet-one for each word) get-to-see

(eighth note tied to half note) Re-neeeesssss-

(quarter note) –me

*I know, nothing 'finale' fancy but it's the best I can do*

If you didn't understand it's ok, I'm probably just an idiot lol, but I thought it would be something fun ;)


	49. Scent

Hola! Foremost, great apologies for the delayed update, had an exhausting workload and just couldn't seem to stay awake enough to focus writing. Sorry :( Getting back to the story! As most of you have probably guessed, something is definitely wrong, so I won't beat around the bush: the great 'plan' is about to unfurl! This may extend to about three chapters, but…*sorry* you are STILL going to be somewhat confused. The plan itself will only explain some mysteries, however, shortly after we will see what the bigger picture entails. Thank you once again to all my reviewers, you make my world go round hehe. For those silent readers, please, pretty please let me know what you think as well! I used to be a silent reader myself, but now I understand just how motivating and supporting it is for a fanfic author to receive feedback; I am silent no more! Yeah, so lol, please review. Here's the next chapter, enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's fabulous work, solely the plot and some new wolves—and an evil vamp I suppose—in this story.

* * *

***************************Tom***************************************

I was somewhat glad Renesmee and I had talked, and even more glad that Oliver didn't know. I knew he was going through a hard time and I really didn't want him feeling guiltier because Renesmee knew…well, it just seemed to be best that way. We tunneled down into our hideout, Oliver after Renesmee. I landed on the balls of my feet, hardly making a sound—I was getting good at that—and I only barely caught a glimpse of Renesmee's hair whipping up behind her as she raced ahead towards the bay. I almost followed her right away—it was always a challenge to try keeping up with her inhuman speed—but changed my mind. I'd let Oliver go first.

He followed her within the next second. For a short while we simply ran, the light steps of my brother echoing slightly through my ears. I could see his form just about ten feet away from my own; Renesmee I couldn't see at all but that was to be expected.

Suddenly I felt something cold along my arm, and I almost stopped with shock as that something turned into a figure racing past me and towards Oliver. For a quick second I caught a familiar whiff of what I often endured at the Cullen's, only this was nothing familiar, nothing…safe…

_No way, was that a vam—_

"_Oliv_—" I started but suddenly found myself being attacked from out of nowhere, gagging my mouth with another cold hand, stopping me from calling out to my oblivious brother. I struggled against the cold hands for less than a second, however, because the next thing I knew, I was staring blankly into nothing at all…

*****************************Jacob*************************************

I was close, I could feel it. I figured I'd get there by around six or seven, and even then it didn't seem soon enough. It had dawned on me that perhaps my stay wouldn't be as long as I hoped for, but any time I could spend with her was worth it, no matter how short. I was already on the outskirts of Sacramento somewhere, the joy in my heart escalating with every step that took me closer to Forks.

I felt a vibration in my pocket and swiftly answered it. "Yeah?"

"Jacob," it was Edward, "just checking up on you. Are you almost here?"

I grinned. "Aw, where you getting worried about me?" I teased. I could hear the scowl across the pretty boy vampire's face. "Yeah, yeah, I'm close, almost out of California so I should be there in a couple of hours or so."

He chuckled. "That's good to hear. Nessie should be getting home around that time as well."

Getting home? I frowned, never once slowing down my pace. "Where is she at?" I asked curiously.

"With the twins, nothing to worry about. We told them to have her back by six," he hesitated, "Jacob, when you get here…" again with the pause.

It unsettled me. "What? Is something wrong?"

"Not exactly," Edward said, a tight laugh following, "but…you may find out some things concerning one of the twins. Just, for Nessie's sake, try not to be too harsh on him, ok?" I could hear something that sounded a lot like a growl and forced words. The twins? What did they have to do with anything…?

"Uh, sure, ok," I agreed, shrugging my shoulders. I was too in good a mood to worry about the twins right now.

"Alright then," Edward answered back. "See you in a few."

_Huh, wonder what that was all about…_

*******************************Gianna********************************

It was maddening! Really, all that time serving them and this is what I was being subjected to? Damn Jane and Alec…I really wasn't too sure what my part in the plan was for anyway, as far as I could see—and feel—Jane and Alec could recover the little Cullen girl on their own, what with their useful _gifts_.

I shut my eyes as another wave of Jane's torture hit me. It was only for a short time, however. Their actions were a result of trying to keep me from straying away. But I suspected they were only tormenting me out of their jealousy that I was still a member of the Volturri guard and they weren't.

It had been strange and surprising, to say the least. After being turned, one of the first matters of business—aside from saturating my incomprehensible thirst—was initiating my position with the Volturri, and even stranger, Jane had been behind my initiation the entire time.

Why would they want me? Unless the ability to smell more thoroughly than any vampire I knew was considered a gift—Jeanine had jokingly implied that—I didn't possess any special gift, my only advantage being my newborn strength…Not that I thought much about _why_, it was an honor any respectable vampire would be a fool to turn down.

Jeanine, also fairly new to the guard, was the closest I had to a friend, and even that was an understatement. She mainly attended to my insatiable thirst, always stopping me whenever I was on the verge of doing something rash—like revealing I was a vampire in broad daylight. Hardly anyone else even acknowledged I existed, and so for this reason I shadowed Jeanine; at least she _tried_ protecting me from inevitable death.

When Jane and Alec had approached me with this little 'plan' of theirs, I was both honored and scared. Honored because, well, it was _Jane_ and _Alec_, Aro's little favorites, and scared because…

Aro, as far as I was concerned, wasn't really aware of the 'plan', as a matter of fact I wasn't even sure he knew anything _at all_ concerning the 'plan'. And when they'd quit the guard I'd almost told Aro everything but Jeanine, my only 'friend' told me that the almighty plan was still in action, and that I had to go through with it. Seeing as how she—Jeanine—was still in the guard and also still cooperating with the twins I decided to continue with it despite my lingering suspicions.

When I'd asked Alec about it—he seemed more approachable than Jane, plus his gift wasn't as painful—he simply smiled that outrageously sweet smile and said, "Trust us, Gianna. Once we're done, you will be honored above others."

Honored above others…I really liked the sound of that.

But right now all I could really think about was the tantalizing smell of human blood, and how that disgusting bear was nothing in comparison…This cave was really getting on my nerves, as far as I could see there were only two ways out, and seeing as how the cave entrance was blocked...

I made a run for the water as soon as the pain left my body.

"Damnit, Gianna!" Jane hissed aloud. And just like that I was on the floor again. I could hear her cruel laughter ringing through my ears, or maybe it was the echo of this confining place but anger coursed through my veins with the taunting voice.

"I told you to stay put," she finally said matter of factly, "you're no use to us out there, just more trouble." She finally stopped and I slumped to the floor. Jeanine came over to help me up, keeping her hand around my wrist as she did.

I suddenly smelled something else, something different, something human but not human…

Jeanine tensed when my head whirled towards the ledge above us, where the strange yet somewhat tasty smell came from. Sure, it wasn't as enticing as a human, but at this point I didn't care. I made to move but Jeanine motioned for me to stop, something about her eyes—fear?—making me come somewhat to my other senses and stop from running forward. She gave me another look—almost apologetic?—and then turned towards Jane.

"I believe they're here," she said, nodding just slightly towards my crazed expression. Jane looked at me and asked carefully.

"What do you smell, Gianna?" she asked.

I tensed, trying to answer without actually thinking of the delicious blood not too far away. "Humans, or something similar," I said, not daring to breathe any more. She smiled wickedly.

"Alright then. Come, Alec."

And they were gone, an identical blur flying back into the mouth of the cave. I looked at Jeanine confusedly. "Can't you smell them too?" I asked.

She gave me a small smile. "No, none of us can with my shield up. I wasn't kidding when I said you have super scent, more so than the rest of us."

Huh…but…that can't be the reason they needed me here, it hardly seemed sensible…not to mention highly inconvenient for me…

"Don't worry, that's not your part in the plan," Jeanine assured me, as if she knew what I was thinking. Then she looked away and said in a quieter voice, "You have something quite different in store for you."

"What do—" I suddenly stopped. Whatever it was, or how many, it was getting closer…Jeanine tensed beside me.

"Come on," she said, "we need to hide."

*****************************Oliver*************************************

Tom wasn't coming out, and for some reason I was getting really nervous, and I knew it had nothing to do with the fact that Renesmee and I were alone either.

"I'm going to go find him," I said abruptly, removing my shirt as I spoke. "It'll be faster if I'm in wolf form."

"Oliver, wait I—" said Renesmee, coming forward, but I only shook my head at her, taking a few steps away from her and back towards the ledge.

"Just wait here, Renesmee," I said, pleading with my eyes when I saw she meant to do just the opposite, "something's not right, and I—I," I gulped, "I could never forgive myself if something happened to you too, I—"

"Nothing happened to Tom—" she began, almost pleadingly herself. I could tell she was trying to convince herself it was true, just like my beating heart was.

"I know, but I need to make sur—"

"OLIVER!"

_Tom_!

Without another word I raced forward, my shorts only barely coming off on time before being ripped apart, bounding within two leaps through the ledge. I was so panic stricken for my brother I hardly noticed the white blur that suddenly blocked me from going any further, hitting me square in the chest as I toppled backward all the way back onto the floor, landing with a heavy thud and hearing the bones crunch in my back leg and the blood seep out of my unaware mouth.

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AAAHH! Won't make this long, just review please! I will have the next chapter up shortly, by tomorrow for sure, so make me happy, don't make me regret my lack of sleep lol, and review! Thanks.


	50. Blood

Ok, just a quick and much appreciated thank you to all my reviewers, love you guys! Also, I'm working on a one-shot of how Carlisle and Esme became one, and am hosting a poll on what color Esme's eyes should have been while she was human, so go ahead and vote! The story itself will be up within the week so hopefully you'll take a look, so I can put the right color, yes? Here's chapter fifty, read, review and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

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***************************Nessie*******************************

"Oliver!" I cried, running forward, but stopped short when I realized what it was exactly that had toppled him over.

A vampire.

I didn't recognize the white skinned woman that eagerly lashed at Oliver. She was beautiful, giving me the impression that even as a human she may have been one of the prettier ones, and judging from her bright red eyes…

My second of shock vanished and I sprinted ahead towards Oliver. He'd sprang up as soon as he hit the ground, lunging and swiping as if the fall hadn't done a thing to him, but I could tell from the trail of blood on the floor and the way he swaggered when his left foot hit the ground that he was far from ok. I was by his side in an instant, ready to attack alongside, but just as I made to launch onto the marauder's back, another form hit me from the side.

"Ooof!" I rolled backwards as the wolf that hit me followed me to the ground, nudging me with his nose away from the battle anxiously, trying to do so without actually hurting me. I looked angrily at Tom; couldn't he see Oliver was in trouble?

I made to get up again but he pushed me down, this time with the heavy forepart of his paws. He looked at me with pleading brown eyes, willing, begging me to listen to him…I hesitated…and then he bounded away from me, joining in the fight against the red eyed devil. Just as he reached them however—

"Oh no, we won't be having any of that," said a cool, high, almost child-like voice. Tom dropped instantaneously, cringing in a mess of his own taupe colored fur. My whole body froze at the sound, bringing chills and fear into my heart. I searched for the perpetrator, but didn't see her…I recognized that voice…it was the same one from my latest nightmare and…I glanced back at Oliver, fighting and losing against the much stronger, much faster vampire that lunged in and out against his wounded form. He snapped and growled but it was no use, she was much too good…_she must be a newborn_, I realized, noticing how hastily she went in for the attack. The twins, however, had never had to actually fight a vampire, so they wouldn't know how to beat her…If it were anyone else fighting her, any other wolf, or any other vampire…

I knew Oliver couldn't win, not against her enhanced newborn strengths. The only way to beat her would be tactfully...Jasper had only shown me how to fight several times in my short life, but no one else knew where we were, and the twins couldn't communicate to the wolves in here…My vivid dream crashed back down on me, and I realized now why I had never actually seen the wolf's color fur; it had never been Jacob in my dream, this was it, I just knew it, and Oliver was going to die if…I knew if anyone had a chance it would be me.

"Renesmee," Tom suddenly gasped, a broken heap on the ground. I ran over to him. He looked exhausted, and I noticed for the first time the deep gash that cut across his body, from the corner of one shoulder to around his middle and back. Blood seeped out in slow but unrelenting streams and I knew he needed medical attention badly. He was naked, of course, having phased back involuntarily from the unidentified pain that followed that evil voice, but that was the least of things to worry about. I wanted so much to comfort him, to take him back to Carlisle, even healing the way they did, I knew Tom was in critical condition but…Oliver could sooner die if I didn't get to him soon…

"I'll be right back, Tom," I sobbed. I hadn't even realized I was crying. "Oliver needs my—"

"No!" he cried again, his eyes shutting tightly as the single word caused a shudder down his back. I could see he was in pain, but…I glanced back at Oliver, who was still miraculously on his feet.

"I have to go, Tom. If I don't Oliv—"

"Trap!" he said again, grabbing onto my shirt this time, looking into my eyes desperately. He pulled me closer to his tear stained face, "It's a trap!"

_A trap?_ I shook my head. It didn't matter, I wasn't about to let Oliver _die_! "I have to, Tom!"

"But Renesmee—"

But I had already sprinted back towards the violent battle along the shores of our once haven. I didn't understand any of it. Why had she come here, deliberately to pick a fight with Oliver? There were at least two of them, that much I knew, remembering the high girly voice…it was so familiar…and the way Tom had cringed on the floor…there was some connection there, but where…I stopped my crazed brain as I lunged onto Oliver's opponent; there would be time for questions later.

As soon as I bit into her stone skin I felt myself being thrown back onto the ground. I knew she was strong but I hadn't really anticipated just how strong. There was no time to dwell on that fact, however, her eyes were suddenly on me, a hungry gaze that took in my flushed face and pulsing veins. I could see Oliver struggling to get her attention again, but, as if she'd been only stalling the entire time, with a quick swipe she easily sent him flying backwards twenty feet. I watched in horror and fear as my best friend flew as if he were nothing but a rag doll, blood following him from a new gash in his neck.

_In his neck_! My heart plummeted when he landed, nothing more than a lifeless heap soaking the beige landscape of dirt with a fresh shade of dark red.

"Oliver!" I screamed, scrambling up and making to run towards him.

_He couldn't be—there was just no way he was—in one swipe, he couldn't possibly be—_

I felt another blow to my middle as the perpetrator hit me again, stopping me from running any farther. It knocked the breath out of me and I was momentarily blinded behind the onslaught of tears that had already been running down my face and a dizziness that seemed to unfurl with her last hit. She came towards me slowly, licking her lips in an evil smile as my caught unawares body lay crumbling against a tree. She laughed when I spit out blood, wiping away hastily…it was enough to send me over the top.

Tom was lethally wounded; Oliver was…I didn't even want to think of the possibility. My vision cleared and I felt an intense energy build up inside me, fury and utter loathing for the vampire before me. It was an incredible sensation, like nothing I'd ever felt before. I was nothing but a savage vampire in this moment, and I knew whose death I was about to end.

"You _bitch_!"

I leaped onto her in a flash, noticing with satisfaction the surprise in her wide eyes. I swiped at her pretty face, ripping off a good portion of her flawless skin from her right cheekbone. She angrily swiped back, just barely missing decapitating me when I dodged and encircled her around her back in one fluent movement. I grabbed her around the neck with my elbow, pulling it tighter and turning it as she stumbled backwards slightly. My moment was short-lived, however; she backed me up against a tree and slammed me into it, bringing about another set of dizziness to my already pained head. I ignored it, darting back into her exposed neck as she turned around triumphantly. She met me halfway, grabbing my hands as I reached up to swing at her. She was stronger than me, and so I slumped down purposefully and slammed into her midriff. She sailed backwards a good ten feet, but was back on her feet and at my side in a flash. I only barely missed her clawed punch; I was ever grateful for daddy's inherited speed. We made contact again, struggling against each other, mirroring hatred for the other. I thought of my two friends whose lives she was so close to ending and again I felt a surge of energy. She suddenly laughed again.

"Ah, are you worried your little dogs are going to die?" she sneered. I blinked in surprise, losing my grip in the same second. _How did she know_…then I remembered just what I'd been thinking at that moment…_I must've not been controlling my thoughts_…it gave me an idea, but my second of surprise was enough to put me back in her grasp; I found myself once again on the ground, this time right at her feet. She placed her hands on my head, ready to twist but I grabbed onto her arms simultaneously, sending a new line of thought into her mind.

_Blood. Delicious, tantalizing, and very much distracting human blood. _

Tact. She was a newborn and blood, human blood was her weakness. I prayed it would work, at least long enough to give me the upper hand…

She froze, her eyes widening with the pictures I sent her, almost as if in a trance, one glorious moment of utter helplessness and vulnerability. This was my only chance. I sprang on her, never releasing my contact with her, and placed my own hands on her head. For an agonizing second, I saw her blink and stare at me with realization at her mistake, at her hesitation, her own hands coming up to defend herself by pushing me away, but she was too late.

With a quick flick of my wrists I snapped her neck and landed gracefully behind her. Her body remained upright for another terrorizing second, and I almost lost hope that maybe my hasty plan hadn't worked.

But then she fell, face forward into the soft sand underneath our feet, unmoving with wide, blank eyes.

I knew I needed to burn the remains to be sure, but _how?_...without having ever done so in the past, and acting solely on the little knowledge I knew about starting fires, I quickly broke off several branches and two thin pieces of wood from a nearby tree and began the impossible idea of starting a fire. The vampire was unmoving, but I knew from Jasper's stories that you could never tell with our kind, that being burned was the best way to be sure. I began to frantically rub the two pieces together the way I'd seen it done on TV, hoping fervently that this would work…and then I saw a spark. I rubbed faster, my stomach fluttering when an actual flame erupted. It made my spirits soar, and I wasted no time in gathering the limp form of the evil vampire and throwing her in.

Her body burned quickly, blackening against the wild orange of the flames, and the smoke rose high towards the ceiling of our little hideout, billowing into a dark cloud at the summit. For a long while I stared in horror and shock at the ashes forming underneath the barely solid form of the red eyed beautiful woman, grasping exactly what I had just done…

She was dead.

*****************************Tom*********************************

I couldn't believe my eyes. I'd somehow managed to drag myself over to my bleeding brother. He too, like myself, was no longer in his wolf form, but very much human and naked like myself, breathing raggedly through his nose and only barely aware that Renesmee was fighting the killer leech by herself. I knew it was a trap; the other vampire, the one I knew to be hiding in the shadows still, had threatened me with staying out of the fight in hopes of baiting Renesmee. It was all I could do to yell out my brother's name before the same girl attacked me, crippling me and slicing through me in my inhibited state. As soon as Oliver had fallen, though, she'd released me. I'd used what strength I had to phase and get away and to Renesmee, but not before the evil leech set loose the excruciating pain on my body once again. I thought perhaps my brother and I could handle the violent one—the one Renesmee was now fighting—and just maybe Renesmee could get away. But now we were both wounded.

The pain in my own chest increased with every breath I took, and yet I knew it was nothing compared to my dying brother.

_Dying_.

I knew just from looking at him that he was dying, and _would_ die if he didn't get to a hospital soon. The realization caused insurmountable heartbreak in me, Oliver was every bit a part of me as I was to myself, if anything happened to him…I cried aloud, taking his hand in mine as he continued to breathe with difficulty. I could feel my own chest choking with pain but I ignored it; all that mattered was that my brother stay alive.

He mumbled incoherently, and I painfully managed to lift my arm onto his brow. "Sssh, bro," I said, my voice breaking, "it's alright, Renesmee's doing an awesome job—"

He opened his eyes more. "Renesmee?" he choked out, and I could see his own worry reflected back from my own, increased tenfold for the girl he loved. At that instant I heard a loud 'snap' and turned my head, with difficulty, towards the battle going on not too far from us. I smiled encouragingly at my half-conscious brother.

"She won, Oliver, the bloodsucker's dead," I said soothingly. I knew, of course, that there was another one, but I didn't want my brother to know that; he was already in too much pain to know Renesmee's fight wasn't over. It was all I could do to keep him calm in his mortally injured shape.

He cracked a small smile. "Th-that's good," he said, before coughing out another spout of blood onto my face. I could see that the gash from his neck was starting to heal on its own, but the damage was already too deep. I forced back my tears.

"Hey, hey," I said in a tight voice, "relax, ok? You need to calm down a bit."

He nodded his head slightly, his eyes closing heavily. "Am dying…" were his next words; my pulse began to race despite my own catatonic state.

"No," I said firmly, squeezing his hand, "you listen to me, Oliver, we're going to live through this. Just keep blinking so I know you're ok, alright?"

He didn't move.

"Oliver!" I gasped, my sobs no longer silent. He blinked. "You idiot," I sobbed, "don't do that to me! I still need you, Renesmee still needs you!"

He blinked several more times, and smiled weakly at me. "Ok," he managed to breathe out.

"Alright then," I said, bringing my hand up under his head to keep him from choking on any more blood. His ragged breathing continued, wheezing with this struggle to remain conscious.

I suddenly smelled smoke and Renesmee was immediately by our side, her eyes wide and confused, scared and worried. I looked up at her with the same daze.

"I'm going to get help," she said, her voice surprisingly steady, she kneeled down and looked at both of us, her chest heaving maniacally when she took in Oliver's still body. "Take care of him, Tom, I'll be back in a flash with daddy and Carlisle. They'll know what to do—"

"Oh no, sweetie," another voice suddenly interrupted, a voice that chilled my blood to the core and made Renesmee jump up defensively in front of us. "I'm afraid that's not part of the plan."

A small girl, barely the height of Renesmee herself, was standing ten feet away from us, her eyes glistening triumphantly at Renesmee's haggard self. _Run Renesmee_! I wanted to yell, I knew of her dangerous power and if Oliver and I were destined to die, so be it, no need for Renesmee to die too. I made to yell but Renesmee suddenly took a step forward and glared at her, a look of resigned but complete determination on my friends face.

"Renesmee, she has a gift, she can—"

"I know what she can do," Renesmee said quietly, her eyes flashing darkly, as if remembering a sinister memory. She stared down the smiling vampire and said one word.

"Jane."

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Oh dear :( Oliver is really, really hurt, Tom isn't too far behind, and Renesmee is facing Jane! What is going to happen next? I really need feedback this time, this was my first 'battle' scene and I'm unsure if it was done properly, so let me know what you think please. Also, as a little preview, Jeanine is going to slip (this time by accident) in a bit, which means Alice may see something after all! So yay! That has to be good news right? This was supposed to be the beginning of an exciting 'plan in action' series, so please, please, PLEASE review and let me know what you all are thinking. The rest of the plan's execution should be done within the next two chapters (but I'm not promising anything) and we will find out more. Alrighty, well, thanks to those who have reviewed thus far, I think I have tomorrow off so I'll try to update by then, if not then asap, thanks again!


	51. Slip

Thanks to those who are reviewing, and still reviewing lol, it's much appreciated and I wish I could respond to everyone but alas, the anonymity doesn't allow such a thing :( so thank you all! Quick reminder, I posted a poll on my profile if you would be so kind and go to vote please? Just click on my author link and the poll will be on the top; I'm not sure if anonymous readers can vote, it said they couldn't and I couldn't find any way of disabling it, sorry. However, the sooner I get votes the sooner I can post up what I promise is going to be a heartwarming meeting between Carlisle and Esme so go vote! Please. Anyway, on with the story! Don't forget to review! Enjoy.

I do not own the work of Stephanie Meyer, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

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****************************Jeanine********************************

"I'll be back then." Said Alec, softly so only I could hear. I nodded and remained hidden.

The scene before me was…a bit unsettling. I'd known all along what the basics of the plan were: Gianna attacks the imprint, bait the girl, sacrifice Gianna, and by law the girl was ours. Still though, it did seem a _little_ sad that Gianna die so young, not to mention the Cullen girl's moot attempt in saving her imprint…the young wolf was dying, I could see that much, along with his twin brother. From my overview of the little trio I knew that the death of the other brother was bound to take a toll on the girl as well, not nearly as bad as the other one but a hit nonetheless. She was going to be incriminated over a lost cause.

If I cared for this little half-breed, it really would have been sad.

"Jane." I heard her say softly, as Jane approached her finally. I could see the smoke billowing from Gianna's disintegrated form. It really was a shame; her gift, though a bit inconvenient at times, was quite complimentary with my own, being able to smell under a shield when no one else could…but there lay the bland fact: my gift was much more valuable.

"Do you realize, young Cullen, what you have just done?" I heard Jane ask, her face expressing an innocence perpendicular to the vindictive thoughts going on in her corrupt mind.

I couldn't believe the fearlessness the Cullen girl was depicting; she seemed unperturbed that Jane was within ten feet of her, that at this moment, Jane was the enemy, _Jane_! I focused more securely on my shield, now of all times would not be the moment to slip, otherwise the little fortune teller might see something before Alec got back in time with our transportation. Still though…that didn't stop her from seeing Alec…they wouldn't be expecting anything to happen right now, so maybe shielding Alec, even for the short fifteen minutes it would take him to get to Seattle, might be the better choice…I frowned; Jane had never said anything about this little instance…but if I could protect Alec from being seen till then, it wouldn't matter if they saw him on his way back, it would be too late at that point…I focused on the form of Alec, focusing my energy on his fleeting outline. I could feel my shield disappearing, travelling elsewhere with the fair boy's flying body.

There. If the seeing Cullen vampire saw anything it would be something similar to what they already knew in the first place, so it would be nothing new, a simple acknowledgement that our 'plan' was still decided…

I kept hidden, nervous but still satisfied with my hasty decision, hoping with my dead life that I'd done the right thing.

****************************Alice**************************************

"Ok everyone, make sure you come in from a side door or a window," Emmett hollered out from the front entrance, "especially you, Rose! Whatever you do, don't open the front door!"

"No, Emmett," I laughed, swiftly removing the pail of water he'd balanced onto the hinges, "I think Nessie wants Jacob dry when he gets here—"

"But—" Emmett began, his face falling.

"And besides," I continued, "if Nessie gets here first you don't want to get _her_ wet either."

Emmett frowned, his childish prank thrown out the window. "Oh yeah…damn…"

Esme soothingly patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry Emmett, you'll have your chance, you always manage to find an opportunity," she comforted, a smile on her heart-shaped face.

This seemed to cheer him, and he bounded upstairs. I could already see the outraged blonde vampire he was about to go bother to ease his disappointment. I rolled my eyes; really, if Rosalie didn't love Emmett as much as she did he would've blown his chances with her a long time ago…then again maybe that's one of the things Rose loved about him, he was the perfect amount of goofy to her primness.

"I don't see why we have to have another _party_," Bella grumbled, attending to the table, "seriously Alice, just seeing Jake is going to be more than enough for Nessie—"

"But this will just make it all the better," I chirped, ignoring the exasperated look she was giving me.

"Don't worry, love," chimed in Edward, reaching over to place a kiss on her forehead, "Alice doesn't really plan on bringing in a piñata or anything."

"Edward!" I scowled. _Ok, so I wasn't going to THAT kind of extreme, but a little teasing never hurt anyone right?_

"What?" he asked innocently. Bella looked at me smugly. I rolled my eyes; _they never let me have any fun!_

"Jasper can you help me put up these lights I—"

_Jane was standing by a shore, a dark place, her eyes glistening madly with victory. She wore her usual black robes despite her recent retirement from the guard. _

"_Didn't you know she's part of the Volturri guard?" she asked innocently. "That could mean quite a serious punishment, wouldn't you agree?" _

And then the vision went blank.

*****************************Nessie************************************

"Renesmee Cullen." She answered back. I glared at her defiantly, knowing full well who she was now. The memory had clicked without warning, and I remembered the fair haired vampire I'd asked mom about when I was much younger. She was pure evil, this one, and I couldn't recall how I hadn't recognized her voice sooner. She began to circle me slowly, smiling wickedly; I refused to back down however, if I was going to die I would do so fighting.

"To think," she mused, "Alec and I are no longer a part of the Volturri, forbidden to return to Volterra even, and then this happens!"

I continued to glare at her.

"Didn't you know she's part of the Volturri guard?" she asked innocently. "That could mean quite a serious punishment, wouldn't you agree?"

I growled at her, but she ignored me.

"Witnessing the murder of a member of the guard, I'm pretty sure that has to count for something," she continued, pausing slightly in what I sensed was mock thought, "to turn in the murderess…I do believe Aro would appreciate that very much."

"I'm no murderer," I cut in angrily, "she was trying to kill my friends!"

"Friends?" she asked with a tilt of her head. "All I see are two disgusting mongrels," she motioned with her hand, "and naked at that. How _nauseating_, I thought the Cullens were a tasteful family," she wrinkled her nose, "seems I was entirely wrong."

"Don't you _dare_ talk—" I began but she cut me off with a louder voice.

"No matter, they seem to be dying, less of a burden on my view," she shrugged.

"AAAGGH!" I lunged at her, more than ready to kill a second time, but just as I got within centimeters of her little doll face—

"I don't think so, sweetie," she whispered.

And I fell heavily to the floor, the most incredible and agonizing pain coursing through my veins. It was hell on Earth, burning every inch of my body, inflaming my insides to nothing, my mind screamed with pain, forgetting everything else that mattered, all I could think of, could see and feel, was this scorching and blinding sensation. It left me nothing but a burning body, unaware of existence, of the people I loved…

And then it stopped, leaving me within inches of her feet. I gasped as I came to, a new surge of anger for the vampire before me.

"Now, you will cooperate with me or else you will leave me no choice, do you understand?" she asked me quietly.

_Cooperate? With her? When my friends were dying?_ I lunged at her again, focusing on the same thoughts I'd aimed at the vampire I'd just killed—

Jane's eyes widened in shock as the tips of my fingers managed to grab onto her ankles, the venom dripping out slightly from her teeth; I wasted no time in heaving her down onto the ground, whirling my body with a grace I never knew I even possessed to kick her pretty little head as she hit the floor. She didn't even bother to fight back, which made me realize Jane probably never had to fight in a battle, not when she had such a 'useful' gift. She rolled over twice from the impact, her eyes still open in astonishment; I threw myself back on her, knowing her distraction was all that kept me from experiencing her wrath once over. She managed to sit up, her eyes blazing with hunger as I sent images of pulsing veins, flushed cheeks, bloody accidents, anything to keep her in this weak state of mind. I sat astride her small frame, punching and clawing at her face, her abdomen. She didn't even flinch, simply looked at me through confused red eyes, dazed…I took my chance and placed my hands on her head, ready to twist her neck like I'd done before, and then—

"AAAAGGHHH!" she suddenly screamed, pushing me with all her strength away from her. I fell within five feet from her, not even scathed from the impact but I knew I had less than a second before—

The pain hit me, and I was left squirming in anguish once more over. This time seemed to last longer, my mind reeling into a state of unconsciousness that would never come.

"You insolent little brat!" she spat. "You really think you could've killed me with those stupid little pictures of yours! I'm no newborn!"

As soon as the pain receded I felt a kick to my stomach, sending me another ten feet away from her. It was nothing compared to the hits the other vampire had given me, but painful nonetheless. I refused to groan and instead looked up; Jane's eyes were daggers to my heart, her hair completely disheveled, a chunk of her shoulder missing, along with a good portion of her black robe. Her lips curled into a terrifying snarl and she laughed that high, cold laugh that haunted my nightmares.

"There is no need for violence, Renesmee," Jane chided, "So we can do this the hard way or the easy way, whatever you—"

"My friends are dying!" I spat at her, no longer moving but simply glaring at her.

"So you're worried about your little imprint, don't worry, he'll be just fine as soon as my brother gets back with our ride," she said matter-of-factly, "We have excellent medics in Volterra, some even worthy of your dear old Carlisle."

_Imprint? But Jake wasn't—unless they thought Oliver…wait, Volterra_? I looked at her with a new shock, a new apprehension for what was going to become of me. _They were taking me to the Volturri?_ The expression seemed to please her.

"Surprised? Come now, girl, I know you're not that stupid, where else did you think murdering a Volturri guard member was going to get you?" she said, kneeling down halfway to peer into my face. I masked my face back into a glare, I could smell her bittersweet stench, and it was sickening.

"But I—"

"That's quite enough," she said sternly, rising up to her full height again, "Jeanine, you can come out if you'd like, and make sure your shield is fully enforced."

Another girl suddenly came out of the trees, gliding to Jane's side in a flash. I gasped when I saw her…she was like no vampire I'd ever seen before. Her skin was a coppery reddish brown, flawless and perfect, her black hair lying in straight tendrils down to her waist. She had slanted eyes, almost like a cat, and when she moved it was with a familiar grace I'd only seen in several other people… At the mention of this 'shield' I could've sworn I saw her eyes race frantically for a millisecond, almost nervously, but then she was just as stoic as before.

"Yes, she does look a bit different doesn't she?" Jane said to me with an amused smile. "But we'll have time for explanations later, don't worry, right no—"

"Jane," interrupted the dark skinned girl, almost hesitantly and with a masked fear in her blood-red eyes, "forgive me but I think we should get going. Alec should be here within the next five minutes."

Jane looked annoyed but nodded. "Very well, come along, Renesmee Cullen."

I braced myself. "No."

She was already turning around and turned back with an arch of her perfect eyebrow. "Am I wrong to assume you're not stupid? I'd really rather not drag you but if you insist—"

"I'm not going anywhere," I hissed, "I know what you plan to do with me. You're going to use me as collateral, aren't you?"

This time both Jane and Jeanine smiled. "So you are a clever girl," Jane simply stated. "Does it really matter though? The crime is already done, child, and Aro himself is unaware, you alone are at fault here—"

"But you—"

"I'm getting tired of this," Jane drawled, and for the third time I found myself being tortured, burning and on the precipice of death.

I landed with a thump on the floor, by breath hitching from the overexertion of pain my mind was sending to the rest of my body thanks to the wicked girl. She let out a small 'hmph' of triumph when I finally stood up and glared at her.

"Be grateful I haven't killed your little dogs yet," she said, going over towards my barely conscious friends. She looked at them with disgust and then lightly kicked one of them. Tom groaned aloud in pain.

"Stop it!" I screamed running over to them; I didn't make it far.

"If you are done playing with my patience, let's go now," she said, her voice taking on a more menacing tone, "Quite frankly I'm done here, so unless you don't come along, I am going to kill this one."

She pointed to Tom. I growled, bringing about another round of suffering. I figured I might eventually grow numb after so many hits, but the pain only seemed to increase with each time.

I gasped on the floor, my eyes crying silently against my will. I knew the only way to save them was to do as she said…I got up, my body aching from Jane's consistent waves of pain.

"Good girl," she purred, "now, you can bring that one," she pointed to Oliver, "I'm sorry but dying dog smell doesn't do well with me."

"What about Tom?" I asked her, forgetting my defiance and almost begging her, "You can't leave him here he'll die!"

Jane made a face. "Isn't saving your little almighty imprinted one charitable enough? I'm losing patience, we leave now!"

"But—" I sputtered, noting dully again their misunderstanding with Oliver being my imprint.

"I'll take him," Jeanine was suddenly by my side. I looked at her in surprise. Jane's expression was somewhat similar.

"That's entirely unnecessary, Jeanine," she retorted, but Jeanine already had Tom around the back of her neck.

"No, but no need to let someone else die pointlessly tonight," she said, her fear somewhat replaced with a small tinge of something else…_remorse?_

Jane pursed her lips. "Fine. Drop him as soon as we get above ground, I'm sure his little wolf friends can take it from there."

I gingerly did the same with Oliver, wincing with his shallow breathing. His blood stained my cheeks and my tears slid down to wash it away. I didn't know why Jeanine had offered to take Tom, but I knew it would be unwise to ask. All I knew was that the worst was yet to come, and even if Oliver did somehow make it to Volterra alive…something told me his chances of survival over there were nowhere near good.

"Hurry it up!" barked Jane, as we climbed up towards the ledge. I glared at her for what seemed to be the hundredth time, nothing but bitter hatred in my heart for that evil girl.

The tears rolled down my face as I walked, Oliver's feeble body pressed against me. I knew it was all over, for me anyway. The thought of my family, of Jake…my heart ached with the sadness I knew awaited Jake should anything really happen to me. We were like one whole, and because of my fault I was about to break it, break _him_…but what else could I have done?

Oliver moaned softly, a gurgle of saliva and blood dripping from his mouth. He was trying to say something to me; I reached up and squeezed his hand, a sign that everything was going to be ok…_yeah, we were heading to Volterra for a murder I committed and everything was going to be ok_…I almost laughed bitterly, but didn't for fear for my friends…As we neared the entrance of the cave, the tunnel Tom, Oliver, and I had come down so many times before, I decided that no matter what happened to me, I would do my best to at least save my friends. Tom would be alright once he was above ground, so I didn't worry too much about him, but Oliver… I was already losing everyone I loved by leaving as Jane's prisoner…I set my face with determination; _damn me to hell if I was going to let them take away my best friend from me too! _

* * *

_Ha! Jane got hit! Jane got hit! Take that you little wench!_ True, it didn't last very long but if Jane had died, well, the story would've ended too soon and I still have some mysteries to unveil—like, what exactly does Jeanine's shield do? Any guesses?—so there's still quite a bit to go. Next, Alice will see another piece of a vision involving Alec—remember Jeanine's little uncertainty when Jane called her over? Yup, Jane doesn't know that the shield was temporarily relocated, however, Jeanine put it back as soon as Jane mentioned it, just in case anyone doesn't get that. All I can add for the next two chapters is that it's going to get more sad, more heartbreaking, and where the hell is Jake? I know many of you are wondering, his POV will make a reappearance in the next chapter so hakuna matata lol. Alright, thanks so much for the lovely and many reviews over chapter fifty, be nice and do it again? Lol, review please and thank you, I will update again by Friday, oh and don't forget to go to my profile and vote! Thanks.


	52. Getaway

Thanks so much for those who have reviewed and voted in my Esme's eye color poll (still an open poll by the way), it is much appreciated and I wish I could give you all cookies but alas, the internet can only do so much lol. Here's the next chapter, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

*****************************Alice*************************************

"It could mean anything, everyone calm down," Carlisle was saying immediately after I'd explained to my frightened family. It'd only been about a minute and already Edward's decisions were raving like a lunatic's. I couldn't blame him, however; as much as I concentrated and focused on Jane, nothing came. It was frustrating, to say the least, terrifying in every other aspect.

"I'm calling Sam," Bella cut in, "maybe he can get to the twins."

"What are the chances that they're going to be wolves right now, Bella?" exclaimed Edward, his eyes bulging like a crazy person. Bella looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Edward, calm the hell down, I need to at least try!" she snapped, though I could see the same fright reflecting from his eyes into her own.

Jasper was unmoving by my side, easing the tension in my head to help me relax and focus. It didn't seem to matter, however, all I saw were more blanks, which of course could mean only two things.

The wolves or…_Nessie_.

Neither one was calming in the least.

"I'm going to look for her," Edward finally decided, motioning to Emmett and Carlisle to follow him. Just as they reached the front door however—

"Oh!" I gasped lightly, and felt my eyes close on their own accord…

_A yellow helicopter, the words Classic Helicopter Corporation on the side, landing in a slightly open field, Alec climbing in with a look of disgust…blank…a trail of blood on the ground, leading to another…blank…_

My eyes snapped open. "Edward!"

Edward looked at me for a terrifying second, understanding what the new vision could mean. Bella came into the room hastily with my outburst, the phone completely forgotten in her hand. She didn't ask any questions, simply turned to me quickly.

"Call Jacob," she said, then turned to follow Edward and Emmett out the door. Jasper gave me a quick kiss before following, Rosalie on his heels. Carlisle turned to us, a curt nod I understood meant for Esme and I to stay behind in case of anything, and he was gone.

My fingers trembling, I dialed.

***********************Jacob*************************************

Thirty minutes.

I would be home in about thirty minutes, the longest thirty minutes, no matter how fast I was already running, of my life!

I had already phased once in the cover of the trees, my shorts tied securely around my ankles. I'd made sure to wear some with a zipper pocket to put the phone in.

I heard it vibrate against my leg and was back to my human self within seconds, never once stopping.

"Yeah?" I said.

"Jacob," it was Alice, only…there was something off about her voice. I slowed my pace, feeling apprehensive all of a sudden.

"Just how far are you?" she asked, after her second of hesitation…_Alice never hesitated…_

"About thirty minutes away," I answered, not bothering to hide my suspicion. "Alice, what's going on?"

"I…" again with that maddening hesitation, "I had another vision. Two actually, they—"

But that was enough to raise the alarm.

"Where's Nessie?" I demanded, my throat suddenly constricting horribly.

"She should be home within the next twenty minutes if everything is ok, but—"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN _IF _EVERYTHING IS OK?"

"Jacob, please, the others are out looking for her. Bella already talked to Sam and he has the wolves looking too—"

"I'll be there shortly," I cut in briskly, the mass of emotions swirling horribly in my mind, "call me if there's any news."

I hung up before she could tell me anything else, replacing the phone and phasing back. I knew in the back of my mind that I was already running as fast I could, but that didn't stop me from trying to go even faster.

_If anything were to happen to her…my whole life, my entire existence, nothing at all…No, she has to be ok, if something had happened…I'd know, she's my imprint after all_…but I couldn't help the foreboding shadow that crept along with ever step that took me closer.

******************************Edward*********************************

So many thoughts, but the only set that I didn't hear!

I ignored the constant babble of anyone within earshot, including my family members, and focused solely on Nessie's familiar little bubble and the twins. I could hear some of the wolf packs thoughts, but it was nothing I already knew and dreaded knowing with every second that passed: Nessie and the twins were nowhere to be seen.

Bella was already far ahead of me, searching frantically and desperately for our daughter. I didn't bother keeping up since distance wasn't really the problem. The problem was _where_…

Emmet was backtracking, checking every place in Port Angeles they might've gone. Jasper, Carlisle, Bella, and I were in the forest, searching for anything that might help us find her, scouring across any open area. It could be anywhere, in Seattle even, there was no telling—

I turned around suddenly, the blonde vampire rushing over towards me with a hopeful glint in his golden eyes.

_I_ _caught her scent, Edward, but…I don't know, it's like at some point it becomes weaker…I wonder if…I smelled something else around there too, you better get over there_…Jasper's confused thoughts reached me before he got within two miles of me.

It was more of a lead than any of the rest of us had.

I raced towards him, catching up quickly as he led the way towards another area of the forest. There was nothing particularly distinguishing about the region he was running towards, more forest, more green, the frost of late winter still evident in the soggy leaves brushing randomly against my body. My feet glided as if on air, and I hardly even noticed the soft 'pit-pat' of my shoes hitting the caked floor.

It wasn't until I was within seven miles of what appeared to be a cliff that I suddenly became aware of something very inconspicuously 'off.'

The ground…it was…not as compact…not exactly hollow but…I strained my ears now, listening with dread in my stomach to what was definitely starting to sound somewhat concave beneath my running legs, hollow enough even to echo…

_Underground_?

I looked over to Jasper, the confusion I felt mirrored back in his face and thoughts.

_We're getting close_, he thought with a nervous edge.

We continued running, my impulse to run quicker taunting me to push ahead. Jasper, sensing it, motioned in what direction we were headed. I surged forward, my mouth a tight line, my eyes a darting dance, and my senses highly alert for the ominous sensation taking over every crevice of every space in time. Something was definitely not right, I smelled it too now, Nessie's scent, recent but no longer fresh, very vague but—

My lifeless heart suddenly died once over as the thoughts suddenly swarmed into my mind, distant and hazy, but audible.

_Ugh, I thought her shield was supposed to do a better job at hiding the mutts' scent—_

_Jane hurry the hell up already!_

_I hope someone finds this one…_

And then finally, the thoughts that mattered the most, those from the pinnacle of our family's joy, the thoughts that destroyed what little sanity and control I had left, the thoughts that broke my unbeating heart, whose sweet breath had kissed me on the cheek only hours ago, the other love of my life…

…_No matter what happens, I love you all… _

***************************Alec********************************

I had already planted the helicopter beneath an overhang of rock by the shore, a small open area. Jane was taking longer than we'd planned and even though I could easily wipe out any close enemy, I was anxious to be out of here. The fortune teller girl would've seen me for sure by now, and so it was only a matter of time.

A mistake.

We hadn't even considered the dilemma of hiding our escape, so until Jeanine was close enough we were definitely at risk. The cave wasn't too far from where I stood hidden, about two miles perhaps, it was only a matter of them surfacing quick enough. Once Jeanine was out she could easily shield up towards the length of where I stood. That would protect our location from the fortune teller vampire; it did nothing against the mind-reading father, however…

Edward Cullen.

I remembered Aro's great interest in the handsome vampire, a rare gift indeed. If he were anywhere near…I almost shuddered, but refrained. Even if he was near, _my_ gift could easily disable him, so long as that little wife of his was elsewhere.

Isabella.

Now _that_ was a gift I had to worry about…

_Jane hurry the hell up already!_

I began muttering under my breath…_if anything goes wrong now...this entire thing will have been pointless, not to mention Jane and I are no longer in the guard_—

I froze as the smell hit me.

The disgusting odor of wolves.

_But of course_, I thought sourly, _if_ _the Cullen's had seen my arrival they would undoubtedly alert the pack of mutts_…no matter. I readied myself, eager to disable the first victim that dared attack me, but—

"Jane?" I heard myself say. And it was her, sprinting full ahead behind our miserable prisoner, smiling triumphantly, Jeanine in the lead with blood on her hands. I could see the lifeless body of the Cullen girl's imprint wrapped heavily across the small girl's shoulders.

_Hmmm, that must be where the smell is coming from then…wait, I thought Jeanine's shield blocked out scent as well…_

I didn't have long to ponder this interesting fact, however, in less than five seconds Jane was by my side.

"It's about time, I've been here for more than five min—" I scowled annoyed, but she simply glared at me and cut in.

"Prepare the helicopter," she ordered, then turned to the girl. "You, any funny business, any at all," she threatened, "and you're going to get _this_."

Renesmee suddenly crumpled to the floor, the heavy body of the wolf following her down, her eyes were squeezed tightly as she agonized in pain. I almost felt bad for her, but it was just as quickly over. Jane smiled down at her, motioning for me to grab the boy on top of her. Renesmee only glared back at her.

I quickly lifted the heap of a boy and threw him into the back seat of our ride, his blood dripping onto the floor in a trail. _Ugh, if I were human I swear I'd be throwing up right now…_

"Seriously, Jane," I muttered, coming back to load the rest of our 'cargo,' "you could've at least put some pants on that _thing_, that is the most atrocious sight I've ever—and I _touched_ it—"

"Enough," Jeanine suddenly interrupted. Jane and I both stared at her automatically. She looked down and made her way over the helicopter. "I just think we should go already, we're wasting time."

Jane looked as if she wanted to show her what _she_ thought we should do, but instead nodded. "Let's go then." She turned to me. "Alec?"

"Right." I answered, turning towards the hybrid. "Don't worry, this won't hurt one bit," I said to her, smiling sweetly. She looked at me with wide eyes before suddenly blanking out. Jeanine briskly placed her into the seat beside the imprint.

I smiled. We had succeeded.

I turned to my sister and motioned towards the helicopter. "After you, sister."

She returned my smile and was in her seat in a flash. I started up the rotors, Jeanine gracefully swinging herself in when our captives were secured, the mutt practically dead and the hybrid under my spell. The trees around us began to blow with the pressure, the wind howling in response to our hasty getaway. There was no doubt in my mind of the noise being overheard. It didn't matter, by the time anyone got close, we'd be out of reach.

"It is very unfortunate," I said, while waiting for the rotors to pick up sufficient speed, "that we need to travel with that damn smell."

Jane nodded in agreement. "Yes, it is. Jeanine, do something about that, will you?"

Jeanine looked uncomfortable. "I already have my shield up."

"Well, concentrate harder or something!" barked Jane, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

But Jeanine shook her head. "Something's not right, Jane. Ever since Gianna…well, for some reason the scent's are all back to normal, I don't think—"

Jane tensed beside me. "What do you mean back to normal?"

I began to slowly raise the chopper into the air—

"As in," Jeanine took an unnecessary breath, "I don't think I've ever been able to shield scents. I think it was Gianna the entire time."

Jane turned around in her seat, her eyes bulging. "So you mean our scent, _her_ scent, it's still—"

And then we both turned, the exceedingly fast steps of a very angry daddy vampire headed our way.

Edward Cullen.

* * *

**Long Authors Note! Beware! Read only if curious…**

Ok, before anyone shoots me, let me assure you that everything will be explained in further chapters. This chapter was pretty much the beginning of the 'getaway.' Obviously, Jane and Alec were not expecting any company (i.e. Edward); the next chapter will continue this brief confrontation (remember, Alec is keeping Nessie immobile with his gift, Jeanine is shielding, and Jane is…well she's just sitting there isn't she? And Edward is alone…right?). Just to kind of clue you all in, yes, Jasper _was_ with Edward, however, remember also that Jeanine was told to carry Tom out and then leave him on the floor. I'm going to go ahead and just fill you in: On their way towards the 'smell' and 'thoughts', Jasper and Edward came upon Tom's almost lifeless figure, where Jasper stayed behind and Edward continued forward. I will explain this later in the chapters but I just thought I'd mention it briefly here to give anyone who is worried about Tom some peace of mind. Also, Oliver is still alive, only barely, but breathing.

Classic Helicopter Corporation is an actual company in Seattle, WA, based in…_crap I forgot the airfield location name…_ but anyway, just know that I looked it up and yeah, it really is there. They provide charter services, tours, etc, so Alec went ahead and pretty much just paid them off to get a helicopter (of course we know he could've gotten it without paying a cent but money buys silence as well).

Jeanine…so far we know this: her gift is some kind of shield that blocks out Alice's visions, but not Edward's or Jasper's gifts; we also know she can relocate it. In this chapter we found out that, contrary to Jane and Alec's assumption, Jeanine CANNOT block out scents, it turns out Gianna was the one who 'sort of' blocked out surrounding scents (we'll find out what exactly Gianna's gift was later)…which leads to another interesting question: How is it that Jeanine herself never got caught (as in anyone smelling her) during her little surveillance trips? Any guesses anyone?

And finally, I know everyone is wondering where the hell Jake is…he's on his way. Remember this is all happening within twenty-five to thirty minutes, and Jake is about thirty minutes away so…will he make it in time? Or just barely out of time? Or…?

I think that's enough of a preview for what's to come :) *laughs wickedly* Alright, please review! Also, don't forget to go vote on my profile for my one-shot, I only have like seven votes so far :( so please do so! I will have the next chapter up by sometime this weekend, more than likely tomorrow :) thanks.


	53. Leap

Whoohoo! Next chapter in a few seconds! First off, thanks so much for all the reviews (though just because I'm updating so soon doesn't mean I expect any less hehe) and especially for those who have voted in my Esme-eye-color poll. Regarding that, if you vote for 'other' please message me what 'other' color you have in mind. Don't be shy I don't mind :) Alright, let's just get on with it, shall we? Read, review, and enjoy! Thanks.

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

*****************************Edward**********************************

The thoughts grew louder as I raced forward, using my speed to its maximum. I could hear the echo beneath my feet, a soft whistle bouncing off some kind of underground cavern. The smells grew stronger; Nessie's, Oliver's, and what I assumed were Jane, Alec's and…another vampire? The last scent was different, familiar but…not. I couldn't place a face so I could only presume it belonged to the Jeanine girl from Alice's visions. Not that it mattered. Only one face was important to me at this moment, one life. If Oliver was with her, I'd do my best to save him too, but my daughter came first.

I heard it then. The spinning rotors of a helicopter. The sound brought with it only more dread, fear that I might not make it in time, and the fact that even if I did get there in time, there was still the risk of falling under one of the witch twins spells.

All I could do was pray, pray to any god that might listen to a desperate vampire's pleas to save his daughter. _If only Bella were with me right now…_

_Alice, please be listening. Find Bella! I need her here!_

I recited my other plea over and over, hoping and praying that it would work. I would never be able to live with myself if anything were to happen to Nessie, Bella and I…it would kill us. For a rare moment in my 'life' I understood completely what it meant to lose a child. I'd gone through a similar pain before once, when I thought Bella to be dead, but _this_…Renesmee was a living and loving result of the indescribable love we shared, a miracle in our world, my eternal and only daughter…despite my vampiric senses I couldn't help but feel completely helpless, more so than even a human.

I almost froze as Nessie's thoughts suddenly disappeared, nothing but an utter stillness, blank…then I remembered Alec's gift.

I pushed on, the lingering scent firing my anger, my fear, burning my nostrils with an energy I only recently acquired. I turned around one final tree, a jutting rock blocking my immediate view, and then I saw them.

The helicopter was already rising and I wasted no time in rushing forward. I could see Nessie's still form somewhat sitting in the back seat, her blank eyes unaware and frightening, Oliver's arm resting silently on her lap. I wanted to yell and tell her to grab Oliver and jump out, to send that helicopter hurling into its demise, the burning bodies of Jane, Alec, and Jeanine decorating the air as they fell. Alec looked at me suddenly, his red eyes widening as I approached their retreating body.

_Two miles…_

_One mile…_

I leaped into the air, the venom coating my teeth, my eyes blazing with hatred and the desire to kill. I knew I only had this one chance, one second before either one attacked—

My hands grasped onto the bottom stand of the chopper, and I easily swung myself upright, my hand already on the handle of the door when—

_I don't think so—_

—the pain hit me.

****************************Bella**************************************

_Nothing, nothing! _

I'd decided to backtrack into Port Angeles after finding nothing in the forest, I knew Emmett was checking but at this point I didn't know what else to do. I'd ran into him on the way back, eagerly searching his face for some kind of news, any news! But he only shook his head sadly at me. I raced ahead, still searching for her scent, growling angrily when I picked up only another of our family's or the wolf packs smell instead. It wasn't until the high, musical voice yelled out my name that I finally allowed myself to hesitate.

_Alice_?

I turned around, searching for the familiar Cullen, and almost continued running when I saw the frantic look on her face.

"Bella!" she gasped, "I've been trying to get your attention for the last three minutes, why didn't you stop?"

I narrowed my eyes. _Did I really have to answer that?_ She frowned.

"Right, I know you're upset. But there's no time! Follow me!" she said quickly, breaking into a run in another direction. I didn't pause, simply followed her and forced myself to stay at her pace.

"What is it?" I asked, keeping by her side now.

She didn't look at me, simply kept running forward, and when she answered I suddenly felt unnaturally cold.

"It's Edward," she said curtly, "he thinks he found her, but he's alone. He was asking me to make sure you got to him. I only saw the general area of where he was headed to, after that it went blank, which could only mean—"

"Nessie!" I exclaimed.

"Yes," Alice answered back, trying to keep calm for my sake, "or Jeanine. Remember, I can't see past her shield. Either way, if Jane or Alec are there, Edward won't be of any use, he needs you."

I growled, my instincts wanting to take me faster. I still didn't know where it was though. "Where is it?" I demanded.

Alice gave me a small smile. "Don't worry, I'm only leading you as far as I need to, to get you in the right direction. I'll let you take off afterward, I'll be right behind you."

"Alright," I said. Alice nodded briefly and continued on her flight, her tiny figure darting gracefully between trees, over boulders, and through the wind with ease. I remained parallel to her, never glancing her way but keeping my senses alert, for the tiniest scent, the tiniest sign.

_Nessie was in trouble, that much was certain, and now Edward…_

I would personally murder them, Jane and Alec, and anyone else who got in my way. My daughter, my beautiful Renesmee…and my Edward…_The two loves of my life_…

Alice suddenly gasped. I looked towards her line of sight and frowned.

Jasper was running towards us, Tom's fallen body in his arms. I looked towards Alice, but she seemed as shocked as I did. _He must've been under Jeanine's shield when he found him…_

There was no time, however. With a brief and almost telepathic glance, Jasper nodded towards Alice, racing past us with the unconscious boy in his hold. Alice only glanced back once, before turning slightly towards me.

"I'm guessing they found him on the way. He's only barely alive," she explained. I shuddered at what torture the poor boy had had to have gone through to get in such a morbid state. Alice's voice interrupted me.

"Alright Bella," she said, "it's straight ahead from here, about ten miles maybe. Go, I'll be right behind you."

And with that I took off.

*****************************Edward*******************************

I'd thought I'd never forget the excruciating pain Jane could do.

I was wrong.

It felt worse by one hundredth fold, my mind on the brink of insanity with such horror. I felt myself fall, fifty feet, a hundred feet, I really couldn't tell; all I could think about was the burning sensation in my body, a million knives stabbing into my flesh as if were nothing solid but clouds. I hit the ground with an ear shattering smack, the pain coursing through my veins never once faltering or swaggering.

And yet…somewhere in the back of my hypnotized mind I thought of Nessie, knew that she needed me…

"AAAARRGGHH!" I screamed, anything to get back off the floor and into the air, but the stabbing never ceased.

No, no, no! I wanted to cry out, the helicopter would've been even farther now, impossible to reach, even for me, maybe for Bella…

And suddenly the pain stopped. I took no moment's hesitation, running head on towards the now fleeing chopper, a little more than a mile away. I could see from Jane's thoughts that the distance was too far for her to maintain.

One mile…that's good to know…

I raced after it, hiding as much as I possibly could to avoid being disabled again. How I wished Bella was here right now!

The helicopter was still a good distance ahead of me, and I began to lose hope, knowing it would only go faster and higher once it was fully warmed up. I pushed myself even more. _I_ _have to get there, I just have to!_

Two miles.

Could I leap that far?

Did it matter?

I leapt…and missed it by one hundred yards, however, the leap had brought me relatively closer, so I began jumping forward instead of running, propelling myself from the trees for support. My second jump proved successful.

I aimed right through the door, tearing it straight off its hinges as I flew. I caught a painful glimpse of my catatonic daughter before the helicopter swerved, causing me to fly straight back out. I only managed to catch a corner of the bottom, just barely, however—

Damnit not again!

I fell once more, my back hitting the top of a tree almost painfully. Nothing considered to Jane's wrath however. It lasted for about the same while, and, again, I followed. I could hear wolf howls somewhere close by, and soft feet finally flying to my aid, but…

The helicopter was too far…I would never make it…Jane would just keep throwing me off…

Another figure suddenly ran past me.

"BELLA!" I cried. She only barely turned her head.

"JUMP BELLA! IT'S THE ONLY WAY!"

She surged forward, me close to her heels. By now they were high up and far; I wasn't even sure if Bella could reach…

She put on a burst of speed, going faster than I had ever seen her go, her face determined, her eyes blazing. I watched her as she began to crouch, her back hunching in anticipation, her hair flying wildly behind her. This was the moment of truth, our last chance, our only hope, once again in Bella's hands. Her feet lifted off the ground…

And she lept.

* * *

Ugh, I know, another cliffhanger, how does that happen? I wonder…*runs for cover* so the question here: does Bella make it? Find out in the next chapter! Give me plenty of reviews and I might just have to update all the sooner :) Love you all, thanks!


	54. Pursuit

You all are awesome :) thanks so much for the reviews! I have noticed that many of my initial reviewers have disappeared-?—but on the bright side, I'm seeing a bunch of new names. I'd love to have you all review, but alas, I can't control everything and as much as I would like to know what each and every reader is thinking, I know it's impossible. But either way, thank you all! You are making my first experience as a writer here amazing and now I have no choice but to continue writing :) (Oh yes, I have so many more stories planned!) Also, there have been several reviewers who think they're 'dying' it is my belief they've contracted '_cliffhanger depression-itis_'…my condolences if you really are, but otherwise, BREATHE! Lol, I really do try to update as soon as I can, and I apologize if it isn't soon enough but please just have patience with me. I only live to serve haha. Ok anyway, on with the next chapter! Read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's 'oh my God!' work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

************************Nessie************************************

I blinked and—

_Where am I?_

The air blew through my hair at an incredible rate, I could smell blood—Oliver's blood—and someone was yelling…

"So help me, Alec, speed up! I don't care if you are my brother, I'll personally kill you if we don't make it out of here!"

_Oh…right…Jane…_

Everything came back to me instantly, and I had to stifle a breath to avoid crying out loud. The vampire, Jeanine, was blocking the exit with her body; I noticed the smashed up door sticking out the opposite cabin door in disarray.

_What the…_

And then I smelled _her_.

The scent I'd first come to recognize since my womb days, a scent I'd pick out anywhere, rival to even Jake's…_mom_!

I couldn't see past Jeanine's figure, but I knew Alec and Jane hadn't noticed my waking …_what to do, what to do_…I could only guess that mom had shielded the area and hence broken Alec's entrancement over me, which meant she must be close…I didn't wait long to find out.

Something hit us from underneath, and suddenly the helicopter swerved dangerously to the side so that Jeanine almost fell out. Oliver's unconscious body slid and I hastily grabbed him around the middle to keep him from falling. The movement was enough so that I finally got Jane's attention. Her eyes widened then narrowed. In a flash she was by my side, Oliver ripped out of my hands and into her own.

"Whatever you're thinking," she threatened, "stop. I will slit his throat in an instant, got it?"

I narrowed my own eyes but nodded grimly, the tears in my eyes angry. Then—

"_Nessie_!"

I turned towards the cry, Jeanine thrown back temporarily from the other vampires lunge into the chopper.

"Mommy!" I yelled, running forward as she balanced to keep from falling back out. Before either of us could take a step, however, Jeanine was on her, pushing her out with amazing speed. The two tumbled out and the helicopter swerved once more. I gaped in horror.

_Mom was still somewhat of a newborn, how was it possible—_

I grit my teeth and surged forward, but not before a cold hand grabbed me, Jane's threat still boiling in the air, Oliver's fate in her cold, dead, hands.

"Alec!" she hissed, "Get Demetri on the phone and tell him to head over towards Vancouver! Don't accept no for an answer! We need every second we can get!"

"But what about Jeanine—"

Her cruel, piercing laugh cut him off. "Didn't you know? Jeanine's more of a newborn than that wretched girl, she'll be fine."

_WHAT_?

I suddenly whirled my head towards Jane, my horror and worry for my mother written across every surface of my face. She smiled maliciously at me.

"Oh yes, you had no idea, did you?" she said slowly. "Jeanine is ten times worth your precious _mother_. You'll be lucky if she doesn't _kill_ her—"

"MOM!" I screamed, ignoring the rest of Jane's taunting words. It couldn't be true, could it? Jane blocked me from going too far towards the open cabin door, shoving Oliver even closer to herself meaningfully.

It was all I could do but watch as the two vampires, my mother and Jeanine, began a fight I knew I would never forget.

**********************Bella***************************************

"Nessie!"

Her head whipped around as I threw aside the dark haired vampire in my way. Mommy!" she cried. I felt an immense wave of relief that she was ok, safe in the sense of being completely intact. It didn't last long, however; before I could take a step towards her I felt my body being lifted up completely and thrown out, my arms barely grabbing onto a corner of the landing skids.

The dark haired, dark skinned vampire landed gracefully, balancing like a cat not five feet away from me. Her appearance startled me, she looked so much like—

"Let's dance, shall we?" she glowered. Before I could respond she was swiping at my flailing body. I only barely managed to swing around and grab hold of the other skid. I wasn't as great a fighter as Edward or Jasper, but I had one thing I knew this girl didn't.

Newborn enhancements.

With lightning speed I lunged at her, my mouth bared to kill, the venom flowing fluently, my eyes blazing, instincts taking over, but—

She moved…almost unnoticeably and very slightly to the right so that instead my fingers were forced to once again grab onto the edge and right myself up again.

_How did she—_

This time she lunged at me, landing a mind-blowing swipe into my shoulder. The ear splitting noise of ripped metal echoed through my ears as what used to be my shoulder suddenly fell away, a gaping hole grotesquely taking its place. I looked at her in horror.

"You're not the only one with tricks," she sneered.

My eyes narrowed and I charged at her.

I felt the plane shudder dangerously as I pinned her upward against the bottom of the helicopter, my feet perfectly balanced on the left landing skid. With a quick thrust I kneed her abdomen and managed twist her arms so that we were eye to eye. Her red eyes burned as our eyes met for a split second.

I sunk my teeth into her neck—

And she howled in pain, a scream that would haunt any child within a hundred mile radius, her teeth spitting out venom angrily. I bit down harder, prepared to tear her head straight off—

"AAAARRGGHHH!" she suddenly growled aloud, her right arm coming free of its own accord. With even quicker speed, she wrapped herself around me, using her legs to pin me down. I kept my teeth locked into her, trying but failing to cause any more pain than what I was already inflicting. It took everything I had to keep from falling off the skid completely, to keep my hold on her, when all of a sudden—

She sank her own teeth into my already injured shoulder, and with another piercing sound—

"OOHH!" I felt myself release her, stumbling backwards against the very edge of the landing skid, my eyes wide and unbelieving, my body shaking uncontrollably, the realization of defeat inevitable, my arm completely ripped off.

It was in this second of puzzlement, of shock, of indescribable physical pain, that she wasted no time and kicked me off, my fingers too late to grab on again.

"_MOMMY! NOOOOO!"_

I only barely saw her white figure, her heart wrenching broken brown eyes, disheveled bronze hair shadowing her small face, reaching out towards my one armed body as it fell, down, down, down, hundreds of feet away. I closed my eyes as it hit me, the unshed tears that would never come, crying painstakingly inside me.

_Nessie_…

*******************Alec*******************************

"That damn stubborn idiot!" I scoffed. "I can't believe it took him that long to finally agree!"

Jane was sitting calmly now beside me, an exultant smile on her face. "There, there, now. We'll deal with him later. We need the ride, after all. This helicopter is only going to last about four hundred miles or so."

"So, Vancouver then?" I asked her. She glanced back at Jeanine, who nodded absentmindedly.

"Yes, Vancouver is close enough. Keep us in the air for about two hours till we arrive. The Cessna should be able to make it over in about eight hours, even if they need to refuel. Just circle around the water for a bit, the clouds are thick enough, in case any of them decided to swim after."

I laughed. "I hardly doubt they'd catch up to us now. We're already too far ahead, and too fast might I add."

She joined in my laughter, turning an exasperated glance backwards, "Will you be quiet already? Goodness, you're still alive, aren't you!"

I glanced towards the sobbing girl. We'd only been in the clear for about thirty minutes so far and Renesmee hadn't once stopped. I'd placed her under my spell as soon as Jeanine was back aboard but within ten minutes had released her. She was too miserable to try escaping at this point, even with her dear little imprint resting on her lap.

I frowned. She was a pretty girl, even for a vampire, it almost seemed a shame she have to go through so much pain for the sake of purging the enemy. She looked up suddenly, catching my eye for the slightest second.

Utter and complete loathe.

I shrugged. Almost a shame, after all. I turned towards Jane.

"We did it, sister."

She smiled in return. "Yes, we did."

*****************************Jake**************************************

All I could think of was murdering those evil little bloodsuckers. Tearing them apart for them to suffer slowly, burning alive as much as their dead heartless bodies could. The racing thoughts of my brothers only made it worse.

_Hurry, Jake! They're getting away! _

_We can't reach them, it's too far!_

_They're already over the water, what do we do!_

_Jake! Where are you, bro?_

And I hated myself more with each thought. Even before I knew exactly what was going on I saw it, the helicopter, now maybe two miles away, horizontally. Vertically, however…too far up.

I could've exploded. I was finally here, today was supposed to be a day I'd never forget, the day I finally proclaimed my love, in person, to the only girl in the world—

And now _this_!

I followed it, running wildly beneath it. I could see Edward running ahead of me, crazed beyond comprehension, yet I understood completely. My own mind seethed with all the possible ways of killing the enemy, my heart aching uncontrollably with the implications I knew were inevitable at this point.

_Nessie, love, please be ok…_

I could see it better now, my perfect vision finally realizing a new factor.

Bella was up there too.

It had to be her, none of the other Cullens, even with their vampiric abilities, could jump up that high…_Bella must've gotten up there earlier, when it was lower_…I caught a spot of brown hair…_Yeah, definitely Bella, but_…

…she was losing.

Another body caught my attention, too far away to identify properly; but I automatically knew it was _her_, her pale face only barely visible behind the small vampire blocking her way, a dark skinned body—Oliver?—dangling lifelessly in the crook of her arm. Nessie didn't even seem to notice the haggard way in which Jane dragged her friend, her eyes were only for her mother.

_Nessie_! I wanted to cry out. I howled in distress, my paws hitting the ground harder as I caught up with Edward. I could only imagine what must be going on in his mind. The two most important people in his life, their lives precariously at stake…

And then something fell.

I almost lost it when Nessie's face was no longer visible, my entire body convulsing with the slightest notion that Nessie had—

Something else fell…_wait, that couldn't be—_

"_MOMMY_! _NOOOO!_"

"BELLA!"

The former, no matter how faint with such a distance, brought forth a secondary wave of relief. Nessie was ok. But—

Bella had fallen, hundreds of feet, a thousand even. I couldn't really tell how high up they were, but from my lack of distinguishing certain details, even with my wolf senses…

Somehow I knew Bella was ok, hurt perhaps, but…vampires couldn't die from a thousand foot fall, could they?

Edward surged forward, his fleeting figure darting towards the fallen form of his wife. It was then that I realized something else.

They had gotten away…Bella had been the last hope…_and I_…

My aching howl shuddered through the air as I continued after the receding aircraft. _They weren't going to get away, not on my time!_

The trees began to thin as I pounded the earth with every ounce of energy that I had, I could smell the salty breeze of the ocean. I hadn't even realized just how far the helicopter really was…it was already over the ocean…I sailed into the water, cutting through the water at an intense speed. I knew water wasn't really our element, but I had to try!

The helicopter grew smaller as it flew ahead of me, rising steadily. My heart pounded painfully in my chest, my ears flattening defensively towards the water, the depths deeper than I had ever strayed. I could hear my brothers—

_Jake! Come back!_

_You can't last in the water, we're not fast enough there!_

_Jacob! Listen to me, we'll find her. Don't you go and drown yourself!_

_They're too far ahead!_

But I didn't listen to any of it. I didn't care. She was my imprint, my everything, how could no one understand that, _damnit_!

The clouds began to thicken, the chopper hardly visible anymore. I could feel my muscles tightening, my heart racing faster than it ever had. Something in my chest didn't feel right, but I ignored it, fighting against every survival instinct and swimming as best as I could towards the now disappearing vehicle.

_Jake, you're going to black out man—_

_Shut up! I don't care! Leave me the hell alone!_ I thought back angrily.

It began to rain, the clouds a dull gray and…the helicopter was nowhere to be seen. I began to panic, flailing hopelessly against the current_. I'm strong, I can make it! I'm a freaking werewolf for crying out loud!_

A sort of buzzing sound began to fill my ears, and I hadn't ever realized the water that went in through my nose, I was too distracted, too focused on the love of my life being whisked away to unimaginable danger.

_I'll rescue you, Nessie, don't worry!_

My limbs, my never-tiring limbs, began to suddenly weigh me down. I could no longer see the speck of a helicopter that I so hopelessly pursued, the rotors a tiny noise, even with my sensitive hearing.

_I won't stop, I promise! _

The clouds seemed to darken suddenly, and for some reason everything began to get blurry. I couldn't comprehend it; in my wolf form I could see everything, even in the dark…

_Just hang on for me, Ness…_

Her beautiful face swam before my eyes, her kind brown eyes, that endearing blush on her cheeks, gorgeous smile…

_I love you Nessie, and I will save you…_

Her last words to me '_I love you too, Jake, bye'…_I wasn't ready to say good-bye, I would stop at nothing to get her back!…Her face was the last thing I remember.

_I promise…_

And then everything went black.

* * *

**Somewhat long Author's Note…**

(Sobbing) So no one made it :( and now Bella is injured (no, she isn't dead, vampires don't die from a thousand foot fall), Tom and Oliver are still both barely alive, and most upsetting, Jake is blacked out! Now, you might ask 'How is it that Jacob could just black out like? He's almighty!'…Yes, but this is my defense: He's totally stressed out (duh?), not thinking straight (notice he inhaled water?), his heart is racing ridiculously fast (even for a werewolf), and on top of that for the first time in his life as a wolf he actually got tired due to over-straining himself. Bottom line: Nessie being gone is making him lose any sense, and ultimately, breathing water doesn't do well with staying conscious. So what happens now?

A few facts before I go on:

Helicopters are limited (height) to about 15000ft (so for all we know Jane and Alec could've been even higher up) and travel about 350mph. Generally, a helicopter can only travel between 200-400miles before needed to refuel, sometime a bit more, so even if we say this particular helicopter can travel, say 500miles at an airspeed of 250mph, that would be a total travel time of about two hours (remember Jane said to keep it in the air for about two hours).

The distance between Vancouver, Canada and Volterra, Italy is about 5419 miles. I'm assuming the Volturri have only the best of the best so when I mentioned the 'Cessna' I was referring to the fastest private jet available (at least from my research; if you know of anything faster, let me know). The Cessna Citation X can travel at 700mph, so if you do the math (yay! Bet you never thought you'd be doing math on fanfiction huh?), 5419/700 is about 7.75 hours. If we calculate any refueling stops Demetri might have to make (remember the phone call to Demetri?) we can just round it up to about 8 hours considering how fast we all know vampires can do things. So, any questions on this little math lesson?

Anyway, please review! I was thoroughly satisfied with the reviews I received the last chapter and expect nothing less lol. Please you all, I wasn't going to post this chapter up till tomorrow but I worked on it instead of sleeping before work today so I deserve a little credit, right? Thanks everyone, don't forget to go vote also on my profile page! Next chapter will be up hopefully by Wednesday. Thanks.


	55. Aftermath

Hello everyone, here's the next installment. I'd like to thank everyone for all the support, reviews, alerts, favorites, PMs and enthusiasm towards my first experience here on fanfic. It's unbelievable and I'm loving every second of it :) I also wanted to let you know that if there was any confusion whatsoever with the last chapter (for instance, someone asked about Jane and Alec having to refuel…answer is no, they are meeting Demetri in Vancouver, Canada once they run out), anything at all that doesn't involve certain mysteries—Jeanine lol—just message me and I will gladly elaborate to the best of my ability. Even if it's concerning my little math thing lol I'm a math major so I won't even think twice before answering that haha (fyi that was just a little extra to explain my reasoning for the chopper and pickup). If you do not have an account and have a question, ask in a review and I will briefly answer it at the end of the next chapter (though I highly recommend you get an account, its free and makes things so much easier). Whoa, too long of an author's note, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

****************************Carlisle*********************************

"Tom? Tom can you hear me?" I asked tentatively. Jasper had found me on his way home, and no words were needed to see that Tom needed my immediate attention. He'd been unconscious for a worried amount of time and I was only barely getting a response from his fluttering eyelids.

"Oh dear, I hope he's alright," Esme worried beside me. I smiled at her receptively when she grabbed his hand and whispered more encouraging words to the poor boy. A heartbeat, about three quarters as fast as his normal rate, but very audibly beating. It was very fortunate Jasper had found him when he had and brought him to me, I could only imagine the state Oliver was in…he would need immediate attention within the next ten hours or so if he was as bad as Tom had been, otherwise…

"Carlisle!"

I turned my head abruptly at my eldest son's voice and my eyes widened.

Bella was in his arms, a defeated look in her downturned eyes, the corners of her lips pouted in somewhat of a scowl, but the most noticing aspect—

"What happened to her arm?" I asked incredulously.

"Put me down already," she muttered quietly, irritation evident behind her pain. Edward whispered a hurried 'you're hurt, you need to take it easy.'

He placed her gently on the sofa, and I noticed the crazed look in his face, lost and miserable beyond comprehension. I realized then that Bella and her arm were not the only problem in this picture…

"Where's Nessie?" asked Esme, voicing our parallel thoughts, the fear in her voice strained and unrelenting. One look at Edward, however, told us all we needed to know.

"_Oh_!" cried Esme, her eyes widening in panic. I could see my own panic mirrored in hers as our gaze locked.

"They got away," answered Bella in a small voice, her eyes lost in a pool of regret and shame. "It was my fault," she continued, her usual silky voice actually breaking, "I was so close—I saw her—and then—"

She leaped up as rage took over her golden eyes. "THEY GOT AWAY!"

Edward, looking just as tense and angry, suddenly softened, if only slightly. "Bella, sit down, you're injured, you shouldn't—"

Bella laughed bitterly. "_This_? This is nothing, Edward! If humans can put pieces of themselves back together, Carlisle can fix me too, so stop worrying about ME! NESSIE is the one in trouble! _OUR DAUGHTER IS IN DANGER_!"

Edward's eyes widened more, a look of momentary hurt, hurt that Bella could even suggest such a thing regarding his little girl. His eyes narrowed then, hurt turning into anger. "If you think that I'm not worried, or angry OUT OF MY MIND—"

"THEN STOP FUSSING OVER ME ALREADY! WE HAVE A MORE IMPORTANT ISSUE TO DEAL WITH—"

"SHE'S JUST AS MUCH MY DAUGHTER AS SHE IS YOURS! SO DON'T EVEN THINK I DON'T CARE! IT'S DRIVING ME INSANE! SO IF YOU COULD JUST—"

"THAT'S _ENOUGH_!" I bellowed out. Both Edward and Bella turned to look at me, silent with the same narrowed, angry glares. Bella flopped down angrily onto the couch and turned away from her crazed husband. Edward simply took a deep breath and fixed his attention on a corner of the room.

"Now," I said slowly, knowing Edward already knew what was on my mind, "we all need to calm down and assess this intelligently. I know you're both upset, we all are, but fighting with each other is only going to make things worse."

Bella shifted uncomfortably and I noticed for the first time her torn arm wrapped by her side. "Bella, I think you should come over her so I can start reattaching your arm. The venom should make the process much quicker than with a human but it still needs to be done right away—"

Edward suddenly froze, his head turning towards the front door. "Carlisle, try to tend to Bella quickly," he said in one breath, "Jacob's on his way, he's unconscious."

**************************Nessie**************************************

I had never really been to Canada, and now here I was in Vancouver, our helicopter hidden somewhere within the forest, cooped up in the cabin with a very ill, sticky, bloody, and practically naked Oliver draped over my lap. Jane had 'graciously' given up her 'tarnished' robe for a makeshift cloth cover for Oliver. In any other circumstance I would have been really uncomfortable dressing my first boyfriend's naked body, but of course these were far from normal circumstances. I'd only used the necessary amount of the black cloak to cover his private areas; I began occupying my time with cleaning what blood I could from his stained face and body.

"Re…nes…mee…" he suddenly croaked. My eyes widened. _He was conscious_!

"Oliver!" I said excitedly. Jeanine, who was guarding me, glanced irritably at me. I lowered my voice to a mere whisper. "Oliver! It's so good to hear your voice, you have no idea—"

"Tommmm," he slurred out, his eyelids fluttering between closed and half-way open.

Tom.

There was no doubt in my mind that he'd been found, something about the way Jeanine assured his safety when we exited the cave…it was odd, as much as I hated her for what she'd done to my mother, I couldn't amiss the careful way in which she'd carried Tom on our way out, almost tenderly. Tom was, of course, unconscious at the time.

I frowned, my heart aching. Even if Tom was ok, there was still so much to worry about. How was I supposed to explain to Oliver everything that had happened since the cave? He was in too much pain as it was, miserable already from before, and—

"Isso 'kay," he smiled weakly at me, noticing my sudden hesitation and frozen stance. He had already somewhat glanced at our surroundings, noticing the dark, graceful figure of Jeanine nearby. He knew things were bad, that much I could tell, and I silently thanked him for not making me repeat the horrible events that had taken place two hours ago…

_Tom, Oliver, both unconscious…_

_Killing the wild vampire…_

_Jane's inhumane torture…_

_Mom falling probably over a thousand feet…mommy I hope you're ok_…

I thought of my family…daddy would be going insane right now what with my being gone and mom being so injured…I could picture Jasper frantically trying to assuage everyone's panic and sorrow, Alice by his side concentrating on what was to come…Esme and Carlisle would be attending to mom and Tom, of course, with Rosalie helping wherever she was needed most…Emmett would be calming things down in his own way, with jokes…I smiled wanly at the thought. _Good old uncle Emmett_…but then another person materialized that shattered any ounce of optimism left within my tired mind…

_Jake_.

Jake wouldn't even know I was gone, and even if they called him, it was already too late…

_Oh Jake, if I could at least have seen you one last time…_

I felt Oliver's shaking hand against my cheek as he caught an escaped tear. I lifted my own hand and held his against my face, stabilizing his weak arm and smiling down at him. It was a moment of complete understanding.

Everything withstanding, we weren't alone, not yet anyway. We had each other.

*****************************Jeanine*******************************

I watched as the two looked silently into each other's eyes, a look of complete understanding. It sickened me, and yet…for some unfathomable reason I thought of the other brother, the one she called Tom. I felt pity for the boy, at least the imprinted one was going to be saved…well, for awhile longer anyway, depending on what the council thought, but Tom might not have even been found, left to die in the woods alone…

_Who cares, Jeanine, there's no reason to feel guilty now. What's done is done, and besides, he is nothing of yours, more reason to dismiss it all…_

I sighed quietly. My past, my choices, they were never going to leave me, I could see that…_probably the reason you're getting all stupid over a teenage werewolf…_

"I'll take her from here, Jeanine," Alec's voice interrupted my thoughts. "You can go hunt if you'd like."

I nodded, eager to get away from the too-human couple before me. _Just remember, it wasn't all your fault…_

***************************Jacob********************************

I opened my eyes groggily, the demanding urge to cough beating any other sense or instinct. I sputtered, water spouting in spurts from my raw throat. My surroundings began to come into focus, the pale face of Carlisle Cullen hovering worriedly over me.

_What happened? Where's Nessie?_ I demanded, only to realize more water coming out in place of words.

"Calm down, Jacob," Carlisle soothed, "you almost drowned and I'm trying to pump all the water out."

_Drowned? Wolves don't drown!_ I angrily began to retort but again was attacked by a series of coughs.

"Dude, stop trying to talk already!" another voice commanded. _Seth_.

My eyes followed the sound of his voice, alarm still healthy in my nerves. _But I need to know what happened!_

"They got away," someone finally answered. Edward, of course. He approached me from opposite Carlisle, the most fatigued, miserable, and demented expression on his face. "We don't know where they've taken her, but I'm almost certain it's to Volterra."

_Then what are we waiting for_? I made to get up but quickly failed; my body felt horrible. _Who saved me anyway_?

At this thought Edward's lips twitched slightly, the bland look in his eyes coloring minutely. "Rosalie."

_WHAT_!

"And to answer your other question, we need to regroup first. Believe me, I want to go over there this instant, but Bella…" he faltered. I struggled to keep up, I was still shocked—and horrified—that of all the mythical creatures in Forks, Washington, _Barbie_ had been my savior…

"Not just because of Bella," another voice chimed in. Alice came over to Edward's side. "We can't just show up in Volterra and start pointing fingers. I've already seen that the Volturi have no idea whatsoever about Jane and Alec's plan, so if we drop in with any insinuations it could just mean a possible risk for Nessie and Oliver, as well as our entire family."

"But Nessie," I managed to choke out, surprised with the tortured tone of my voice. This time it was Edward who answered.

"I know, Jacob. It's killing me too."

* * *

So this one's not much of a cliffhanger, right? I tried not to make it so, remember that a bunch of stuff is going to be falling in place and happening so the cliffhangers are inevitable—I'm not really evil you know lol. Anyway, I'll try to update again tomorrow so until then please review! Anything on your mind, let me know (related to the story of course lol). Also, I only have thirteen votes thus far on my poll, so if you haven't voted yet, please do so! Just click on my profile and the poll will be on the top. I have my Carlisle-Esme one-shot practically completed but I really need to add in Esme's eye color so please, please, PLEASE vote. I don't want to be mean and threaten lack of updates for lack of votes…I would never do that don't worry lol. By the way, did anyone catch Jeanine's mysterious thoughts? Interesting, no? Any guesses? Lol, review! Thanks.


	56. Just the Two

Ok so I hoped to update by Thursday, then again yesterday, but time didn't allow it, so sorry. However, interesting events are coming up hehe, so hopefully it will make up for my tardiness this week. Again, thank you all so much from the bottom of my unbeating—I mean BEATING (wouldn't it be cool if I was a vampire?) heart. It makes me giddy whenever I receive another review so thanks! Alright, here's the next chapter, read, review and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

P.S. I just read the Bree Tanner this week, and you can't imagine how content I was when I found out torn limbs were a natural occurrence for vampires (I wrote that chapter—where Bella's arm is torn off—BEFORE I read Bree's story), so yay me!

* * *

**********************Alice*******************************

_A forest…a torn black cloak…red eyes…a glimpse of copper skin…Jane_ …but _where_?

For a wild second I almost thought I was going to see where they'd taken Nessie, but the images kept blurring, keeping the location hidden. It was either one of two things.

Jeanine's shield, I was finally starting to get through or…

Nessie and Oliver, they were blocking out my visions because of the simple fact that they were hybrids.

It now made sense, my earlier vision with Alec. I'd only seen glimpses, but no Nessie or Oliver. If the latter was the case, then Jeanine wasn't using her shield on them, and if that was true, was she using her shield at all? And if yes, where? On whom?

Emmett and Rosalie had gone back into the water, searching for anything that might lead us to where the helicopter had headed, any shores with trees. It was a difficult feat, however, they could be anywhere.

One important fact…they weren't in Volterra.

Jacob, though still recovering, was raging to fly straight to the Volturi. I could see without any vision that he only had one thing on his mind: a massacre. Yet the simple fact kept us at bay. After all, if Nessie was incriminated, we would be notified, such was the law.

Edward was the lost man again, almost as bad as he'd been when he'd left Bella…Bella was struggling to keep calm, her thoughts probably just as harebrained as her husbands, I couldn't see any futures for either of them.

************************Jane*************************************

"Did you bring along Niles?" I asked into the receiver. I sighed in exasperation. "For the last time, Demetri, Jeanine has her shield on you at the moment, there's no way anyone will find out! So is Niles—"

"_Yes, yes, he's with me, though he isn't at all pleased with what you have planned."_

I laughed heartily. "Tell him I don't care. I doubt he'd want to get on my bad side."

"_I agree. Don't worry, Jane, we should be there in several hours."_

"Hurry up, I'm getting bored." And I hung up the phone. I was barely turning around when Jeanine came flashing by me, a small deer hanging limply in her arms. She avoided my narrowed eyes as I followed her fleeting figure into the smelly cabin of the helicopter. Seriously, Niles was going to have to do something about the disgusting _thing_ rotting in there…

I watched as she dropped in onto the floor at the girls feet, motioning for her to drink. The Cullen girl looked slightly surprised, then narrowed her own eyes in distrust. I smirked, joining the interesting scene.

"She wouldn't poison you or anything like that, if that's what you're thinking," I sneered, "dead animal blood wouldn't poison you anyway, just maybe give you a stomachache or something of the sort—"

"It's actually quite fresh," Jeanine interrupted, avoiding my eyes once more, "so drink up, now. We don't need you going insane on us anytime on the way home because you're thirsty."

She turned her gaze, finally, onto me. "What about the boy?"

I made a face. "What about him?" I challenged.

Jeanine hesitated, then looked down. "Well, he's quite close to death. I think some water, at least, might do him some good…" she grimaced when my lips curled up menacingly.

"My, my, isn't this cute? You going soft, Jeanine? Old memories bothering you?" I crooned. I could see hatred in her red eyes as the memories flooded her mind. I waved my hand dismissively. "The mutt will be fine. I asked Demetri to bring Niles along. He'll get him into a decent state."

Jeanine simply nodded, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away, anywhere but into my taunting expression. I smiled one last time and made my way back outside.

Somewhere behind me I heard the release of air, as if someone had been holding their breath with all the tension.

********************************Nessie********************************

"Just drink it," Jeanine muttered at me, kicking the freshly slaughtered doe at my feet slightly. I stared at her numbly, my eyes still wide with surprise. She avoided Jane's taunting expression, crossing her arms across her chest and focusing intently on a nearby branch outside of the cabin. Jane had already left the confining space.

I hadn't realized I'd been holding my breath. I let it out slowly, eyeing the dead deer at my feet warily. I could smell how fresh it was, the blood tempting my innate senses. I wasn't that thirsty, but…it might be smart to drink while I still had the chance.

I carefully slid out from under Oliver's heavy upper body, his coarse breathing emitting softly, inconsistently. _I really hope Jane meant it when she said he'd be ok…_

I sank my teeth into the animal on the floor, drinking quickly till every drop had been spent. Jeanine ignored me the entire time, an almost bored expression on her copper skin. The manners embedded within me coaxed me to thank her, but the rest of me—the majority—convinced me to ignore the evil woman. We both seemed better off that way anyway.

I felt slightly better afterwards, energized. I slipped back into the seat, cradling Oliver's head carefully. I brushed back the hair from his face, around his ears with my fingers. The touch seemed to ease the thickness of his breathing, his parted mouth closing minutely in what I could only guess, and hope, was a sign of contentment. My fingers trailed down to his cheek, stopping at the corners of his mouth; touching anything past there would be wrong, no matter how soothing, or innocent the gesture appeared to be. Even if Oliver was dying…I knew who my heart truly belonged to, and this whole thing with Oliver…

The outlook wasn't looking good, and still the seemingly childish dilemma of this petty love triangle weighed down my mood even more. _Yeah, Renesmee, you're about to go to the freaking Volturi and you're still worried about your little boy troubles_…

But Oliver wasn't just 'some boy', he was good, and kind, and loyal, and fun, and handsome, and—and—

_Nothing in comparison to my Jake…_

I sighed, combing my fingers through Oliver's hair once again, pointlessly. "I'm so sorry, Oliver." I said quietly.

The voice that answered me made me jump.

"You have nothing to be sorry about, you know," Jeanine said quietly, still looking in another direction. I looked at her with surprised eyes, somewhat confused.

_How did she—_

"You're a smart girl, I'm sure you've figured out you're not the only vampire we're after." She stated.

I blinked. _My family_…_so she hadn't really caught onto what I'd meant by apologizing to Oliver_…I glared at her, ready to retort angrily.

"But your little imprint is nothing to be sorry about. That was all us…me probably," she said in an even softer voice, her gaze settling onto the floor pensively.

I _was _confused.

"Wha—"

"I will give you one piece of advice, Renesmee Cullen," she spoke, finally looking directly at me, her red eyes piercing into my brown, "don't abandon him. No matter what happens, no matter what you _hear_…" a haunted look came over her. "I'm not exactly sure what they plan to do with you when we get home, but…"

_Again that look…_

"Once they convince you of something, there's no turning back. One mistake, and it's all over. _Him_," she motioned towards Oliver, "they will use him against you. Meddle with your mind, and if you fall into their traps, their lies, he will not be the only thing you lose."

I stared at her, unsure if the words I heard her say were earnest in the least…but there was a hint of what I'd heard earlier…

_Remorse…hurt…there was a story there somewhere…_

"I—who are you?" I whispered, but at that same moment the look, the solemn words, disappeared. She ignored me and resumed her façade of looking out into the forest.

Alec suddenly clambered in, glancing once impassively towards Oliver and I, and then a bit longer on Jeanine, before sprawling royally in the front seat.

I looked at Jeanine again, almost expectantly, but her face was devoid of any emotion, stoic and bored.

She was probably the reason I was in this predicament to begin with, she had torn my mother's arm off, shoved her over a thousand feet towards the ground, and yet…

The remorse, her hurt, her words…maybe there was still some humanity left after all.

*********************************Jasper*******************************

Overwhelming.

I was overwhelmed, there was no other word for it. Edward and Bella were bad enough, but Jacob…

I had more than half a mind to pummel him unconscious if it would keep his crazed emotions at bay. Edward didn't help the situation with his constant mood changes; he was still upset and exasperated with Bella for undermining her injury. Granted, it was something to fret over…

I remembered very clearly the violent days of my past…lost body parts were not uncommon. However, the manner in which Bella had been injured, including her lengthy fall…it was something that required at least a _bit_ of rest.

But Bella being _Bella_ only made the situation worse. She was determined that nothing was wrong with her, just a slight 'headache.' Which of course only made my neurotic brother even more upset; the two argued over the petty details, though I could feel their strongest—as well as everyone else's in the room—emotion of worry lounging comfortably within every crevice of their beings.

My Alice was no different, though it pained me even more to feel her misery, a misery multiplied a hundred times over into my own. She continued to concentrate on the blurry images of Nessie and Oliver…it had already been about five hours…

A wave suddenly hit me, one of shock, confusion, and…_hope_?

Alice jumped up into a standing position, turning automatically towards the door where Edward walked in from.

"What is it?" I asked anxiously.

"It's Aro," Edward answered briskly. "Felix has just informed him that Demetri is missing, along with some doctor Niles. They've taken one of the private jets—"

"Edward, you know there are still no grounds for—" Alice interrupted, knowing what Edward had already decided. Her eyes were pleading, and Edward's repercussion began a low growl in my throat.

"Alice, I don't care," he hissed at her, "I think it's quite obvious, don't you? I'm leaving, I—"

Alice's face went blank again, and Edward's eyes widened even more.

_What now!_

It was a long moment before Alice blinked back at us, her face mortified, a disturbing and unsettling silence escaping her lips. I searched her emotions, cringing slightly with what came from my petite love. Edward was taking a deep breath on the other side of the room, and I cautiously looked up.

"Bella," Edward said softly, "get ready, we're leaving."

Bella was by his side in an instant, her arm reattached. "Shouldn't we all—"

"No," Alice cut in, her depression, worry, fear, and despair, visible even through her golden eyes. "It's only the two of you. Aro just got a phone call, and he's decided. We should be receiving the news shortly. If the rest of the family steps foot even _remotely_ close to Volterra…they'll kill Oliver."

It was at that precise moment that another set of emotions clouded over the mass. The boy, still somewhat unsettled and worried, had finally put on a brave face and was ready to do as he was told. However, when Tom walked into the room, the last words escaping Alice's knowing lips…his face went slack, emotions erratic, and Bella only barely caught him as his weak body slumped heavily once again.

* * *

Ok, so this was mostly a filler chapter *runs to hide and locks door* but somewhat necessary. I dropped several hints in this chapter as to what's to come, anyone catch any? Well, anyway, I WILL update within the next two days for sure, so until then please review and let me know what you all think. Thank you for all the support and reviews from last chapter, I hope to see the same till next time lol. Thanks.


	57. Arrival

As promised, it's Monday (late but still Monday) and here's the next chapter, won't say much lol, except thanks to all my reviewers and supporters, love you all! Read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

************************Oliver******************************

My senses began to finally breathe again, the obnoxious pain in my body fading. I could feel the weak muscles in my body, taste the dried blood across my chapped lips, hear the droning of a powerful engine beneath me. There were smells, disgusting smells that made my spine shiver, and yet…there was _her_ smell. Listening more intently I could also hear her distinct heartbeat, the steady intakes of her breath, feel her temperate skin.

The blurry outline of Renesmee's hopeful face looked down at me, an angel surrounded by darkness. I felt the corners of my mouth lift substantially when I realized her hand was wrapped around my own, her warm fingers rubbing softly against my coarse skin. Her eyes seemed to lift when I blinked, and she let out a small gasp. 'Oliver!' she said, and there was nothing but love looking down at me through those big, beautiful brown eyes.

_She looks hopeful, and—she's holding my hand!...I must be dead_, _there's no other explanation for the girl before me to be here otherwise_…

"Am I in heaven?" I asked aloud, her white face starting to become more lucid. A tinge of pink caressed her pale cheeks and another emotion—_guilt_?—dashed rapidly across her eyes as she released my hand.

_No, no, don't let go!_

I reached over and grabbed her hand once more, holding it tightly—I winced slightly with the added pressure—against my own. She exhaled softly and smiled at me warmly, though…her eyes…I realized, with a nostalgic thud of my heart, that it wasn't what I had mistook it for in the beginning.

_No, silly_, she spoke to me softly, as if even her thoughts were in danger of being heard. _The doctor finally fixed you up, that's all._

"Doctor? I—" and then it all came back to me. The edges of our surroundings became more pronounced, the darker shade of the inside of a—a—_a jet_? And I noticed for the first time three other individuals.

Wait, not individuals…_vampires_!

My moment of utopia fled. A low growl escaped my throat as my body began to react instinctively. I was hurt, of that I was very aware, but it was nothing compared to what my comatose body must have been like twenty minutes ago.

_Plus, there's freaking vampires not five feet away!_

_Ssh, ssh_, Renesmee cooed, squeezing my hand. I hadn't noticed my wary attempt at sitting up while taking in the contents of our space; her comfort, her soft touch, however, was enough to calm me down.

_We're ok_, she assured me, then_…for now_. She nodded her head slightly towards one of the individuals. _That's the doctor, Niles, he worked on you for about three hours or so... _A flash of the man in question hovering over me with medical supplies…_He's with THEM_, I noticed her lips curl with the acknowledgment, _but at least you're alive, thanks to him._

I glanced at the doctor. He appeared to be in his older years, tall, slender, white hair slicked back into a ponytail, blood-red eyes, skin of a pale white, too good-looking for any _normal_ man…

_Yup, definitely a vampire…_I thought bitterly.

I swept my gaze over to the other two. One, a boy, was pointedly avoiding eye contact, speaking in a hurried voice towards the front of the plane. _Huh…must be more bloodsuckers up front…_

The third vampire was something else entirely. With her dark skin, black hair, and slanted eyes…_she kind of looks like a_—

_That's Jeanine_, Renesmee answered towards my perplexed expression, _she's…well to be honest I'm not sure what to make of her_. I caught a few glimpses of a fight, gasping slightly when I realized Jeanine had actually thrown Renesmee's mom, Bella, off of the landing skids of a helicopter. The next scene, however, was confusing, something about advice?...Renesmee bit her lip as Jeanine suddenly looked towards us for the quickest of seconds.

Her eyes.

My previous familiarity with her vanished in the depths of those crimson eyes. She was nothing but a good-for-nothing bloodsucker after all…

"Renesmee," I turned back to her, grateful she hadn't released my hand a second time, "what happened? Where's Tom?"

Her eyebrows furrowed and she looked away from my questioning face. My heart almost stopped beating with her discomfort. _Tom? Was it possible he—no, he couldn't be—_

"Oh no, no!" Renesmee burst, realizing what must've been going in my head with her silence. She winced with the words spoken aloud. _Tom's fine, I'm sure of it, he's back home and I know Carlisle will fix him right up._

I sighed in relief. At least that was one thing I didn't have to worry about.

I frowned. "Wait, but…what happened then? Where are we going? Who are _they_ exactly?"

I could see the anxiety in her expression, her reluctance. Renesmee had no thoughts of explanation, but as if in answer, the jet began to circle in descent, much too fast for my dizzied head. I made to sit up but Renesmee kept me down, knowing without my telling her how weak I still was. Another body suddenly appeared from the front, one whose voice made my blood boil and my ears burn.

"I expect both of you to be on your best behavior once we reach the ground. Alec and I will see to you if you do not," she threatened, placing a small hand on the fair boy's shoulder, Alec. His face mirrored her malice and I couldn't help but wonder why the small pair should feel so sure of themselves. They were so small! Even as weak as I felt I could probably crush them, without even phasing too!

I pushed against Renesmee's arms, standing up and glaring at the two defiantly.

"Oliver, no they're—" Renesmee began, pulling my arm back. I made to brush her away but didn't need to; her hand slipped out of mine instantly, her words stopping as quickly as they had started.

_That's weird, it's not like her_…I shook it off, taking a menacing step towards the pair. The girl, still smiling, narrowed her eyes and, much to my surprise, took a step forward.

"Sit down, mutt," she ordered, "I don't have time for your little games."

I closed the gap between us, "Screw you, bloodsuck—"

And then I was on the floor.

The next moment was by far the most excruciating instant of my life. My blood screamed in agony, my bones folding in on themselves, my head on the verge of exploding. My entire body was on fire, and nothing else mattered. Everything hurt, pain was my only existence, and the fire consumed, an eternal flame that ravaged my insides, destroying any hope of death.

Then it stopped.

I only stared in horror at the small vampire in front of me for a fraction of a second before reacting.

"Renesmee!" I cried, "She can—" but I stopped short, noticing finally why Renesmee had so 'voluntarily' let my hand go.

Her face was blank, staring straight ahead as if in a trance. I shook her, willing her to snap out of whatever witchcraft the evil girl had beseeched on her…but her gaze remained unfocused.

Angrily, I turned towards the perpetrator, aware but not caring what horrible torture she could inflict on me again within a millisecond.

"_You_!" I snarled, "What did you do to her?"

The small girl simply shrugged, nudging Alec—who I was quite certain, by their similarities, was her brother—and rolling her eyes. The boy smiled at me sweetly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Jane didn't do anything to her. I'm afraid that'd be me," he said, settling his indifferent eyes over to Renesmee's figure. In an instant, she was back.

"—dangerous!" Renesmee finished. She looked around confused, glancing at the witch twins' identical smirks and my look of horror. She knew that I knew now, what the two creeps were capable of.

_Little bloodsucking bastards…_

"Now that you _understand_ who's in charge," the small girl vampire, Jane, continued, her voice a fascia of innocence, "prepare for landing."

Alec stood up next to her, smiling at us with the same 'sweetness'. "Welcome to Volterra."

*****************************Nessie************************************

Demetri was, in one word, scary.

The tall, broad, slightly olive complexioned man hardly acknowledged me, at least to my face. He wore the same standard Volturi robe, black in perfect harmony against his shoulder length, wavy, black hair. He had yet to speak a word to me from the moment I boarded the private jet and now, as we made our way through the cobbled streets of Volterra, I could feel his crimson eyes burning into my back.

A tracker. That was the only thing I could remember about him from my earlier memories as a child, the questions I'd had briefly answered concerning the towering hooded figures. A brilliant tracker.

Felix, in another word, was scarier.

He'd met us as soon as we exited the aircraft, similar in complexion to Demetri but much, much, _much_ bigger and broader, with shorter cropped black hair, his robe an exact replica to the former. He was as big, if not bigger, than Emmett. I knew how strong my uncle Emmett was, how deadly he could be in battle…the thought of Felix being remotely similar made me shiver. Unlike Demetri, however, he _had_ spoken to me.

"Well, hello there, Miss Cullen," he'd said, a gentleman's voice to conceal the viper beneath, "I heard about your little, er, _incident_," a slight uplifting of the lips, "you are such a pretty thing—"

Oliver had growled, hatred for the leering brute. My own eyes glared.

"I do hope the council goes easy on you. Wouldn't want to waste such," he smirked, "beauty."

Oliver's growl grew considerably louder, and I had to plead with him silently when Felix actually winked at him.

We entered through some sort of elevator, Jane and Alec in the front, Jeanine and Niles with Oliver and I, and Demetri and Felix bringing up the rear. I kept my hand intertwined with Oliver's, my only outlet of comfort. A small part of my brain knew the gesture was probably something more, but I easily ignored it. Oliver was still my best friend, and friends took care of each other.

The descent brought with it colder air, and I was grateful for my more than average body temperature. Oliver scooted closer to me nonetheless, though I could understand his uneasiness. Alec let out a small laugh.

"Aaww, isn't that cute? The little imprint and the half-vampire," he said. The words had no impact on me; I was already more than aware of their mistaking myself for Oliver's imprint.

Oliver, however, jumped.

His eyes widened and he looked at me with a mixture of emotions. I frowned, confused and irritated at the same time. Now was _not_ the time to let them know their mistake, any mistake on their part could only be beneficial to us—then I realized my own mistake.

Oliver didn't know that I knew about imprinting, much less the fact that I knew I was _Jacob's_ imprint…I studied his stricken expression for a second…

_Guilt_.

There was fear, worry, and several other things, but guilt was the main entrée.

I squeezed his hand.

_Don't worry about that now, Oliver. Tom…already explained it to me. _I flashed the recent conversation_…Just pretend it's true for now. I don't know if it really matters at this point, but…well any advantage we can get I'll take._

I waited for his face to relax, and only till he gave a slight nod did I turn away.

"Now then," Jane brushed by me smoothly, "enough with the lovebirds. Follow me."

Oliver shot me another worried glance. Was this it? Were we headed to our death? Would our families ever find out? And then my own selfish thoughts…would I ever see Jake again?

I took one step forward, the lump in my throat pushed forcefully away.

_Be strong, Oliver…we don't have any other choice._

**************************Esme*********************************

As much as I tried to be comforting, I failed.

Edward and Bella were already at the airport, and even though Alice had warned us it was only supposed to be the two of them, I couldn't help but fear we were making a mistake. Nessie was all of ours; shouldn't her family be able to be there when she faced judgment?

The only reason I'd submitted to staying behind was for my husband.

I sighed. _Damnit Carlisle_…I had never, once in my life, doubted his trust, his undying faith that things would turn out for the best, but…

_THIS WAS OUR ONLY GRANDDAUGHTER!_

Jacob was on the same line of thought as myself, however, considering his condition, I bode more of a threat at actually flying to Volterra. The mass water intake had damaged his lungs, and so Carlisle was struggling with a very angry, very worried, and—quite frankly—practically insane shape-shifter.

"BUT I HAVE TO GO TOO!" he demanded, his dark eyes bulging almost identically with Edward's.

"Jacob, you would only be a liability—" Carlisle reasoned.

"YOU DON'T KNOW ME! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I CAN DO! I'M FINE—"

"Jacob, please, think of what Nessie would do if anything happened to you just because you didn't have enough patience—" I continued beseechingly.

"SCREW PATIENCE! THERE MIGHT NOT BE A NESSIE IF I DON'T SAVE HER!" he bellowed, thrashing against my iron grip. I struggled in keeping him down, my thoughts a forked road between his reasoning and my husbands.

"We have to think positively, Jacob, we—" Carlisle spoke calmly.

"POSITIVELY? DON'T YOU CARE AT ALL? SHE'S YOUR ONLY GRANDDAUGHTER!"

Carlisle winced, quickly but I noticed. He turned towards me, his golden eyes searching into mine for a reasonable response. My frown only deepened however. I wanted nothing more than to do what Jacob was asking…Carlisle could see that, and for once, his everlasting gleam of hope faltered, my support weighing heavily on him.

Jacob, who'd been watching our silent exchange through narrowed eyes, exhaled sharply before exploding once more.

"I KNEW IT! EVEN ESME KNOWS I'M RIGHT!"

I visibly cringed, turning my head away at his incriminating glower. I could feel Carlisle's disappointment in my obvious consent. However, instead of answering Jacob's pleas, I simply left the room.

"WHAT? THAT'S IT? WELL FUCK YOU TOO! FUCK YOU ALL! I'M LEAVING!"

"That's quite enough, _dog_," I heard Jasper spit out, suddenly in front of the wounded man, the venom apparent from his anger with Jacob's choice of words. I wanted badly to go and settle the tension, to keep everyone from each other's throats…but then the phone rang.

I answered it swiftly.

"Cullen residence."

"_Ah yes, may I speak to the head of the household_?" Already I could feel the darkness encircling my home, Alice's vision clouding above.

"He's detained at the moment, this is his wife, what can I do for you?" I spoke evenly.

"_Ah, Esme I presume? So sorry to be calling this late, but I'm calling on behalf of Renesmee Cullen, she was found earlier today_—"

"Yes, I'm aware of the implication," I interrupted, my anger, for once, taking over my usual steady self.

"Quite, quite. As is customary, we are asking that the girl's parents come to Volterra immediately. Them and them alone. This is a direct order from the council itself for the protection of our coven—"

"They are already on their way," I snarled, the threatening tone of my voice startling even me. I couldn't even begin to imagine why the rest of us were forbidden to follow, but—

"_Yes, they told me that might be the case, but you know how it is with these things. Can't take the risk of a formal invite, after al_l," he was saying. I smoothly interrupted him.

"Is that all? Or is there more you'd like to burden my family with?" I spat.

I could almost hear the wicked grin on the other end of the line. "_No, I think that is all. We wish your family the best, as usual, send our regards to Carlisle_."

"Oh I'll send him—"

_Click_.

The line was dead…and I was furious.

I marched over to the now struggling Jacob versus Carlisle and Jasper. Alice was by my side in a flash.

"Esme, you can't—"

My eyes narrowed at her before turning towards my husband. Carlisle looked unsettled with my gaze.

"Honey," I stated, "get Jacob fixed up, and quick. I don't care what anyone says, Renesmee is a part of this family and I will not stand by to watch it shrivel to pieces. As soon as Jacob is decent, we're flying to Italy."

* * *

OOOhh! Way to go Esme! Sweet, nurturing, 'in the background Esme'…who'da thought? Lol, ok, a bit out of character, but she is the one that holds the family together right? Either way I thought it was pretty awesome :) Anyway, so this chapter was pretty much the beginning of Volterra. Volterra WILL extend to several chapters—hello, there has to be some action there, right?—and I hope you all like what is to come. Until then, please review and let me know your thoughts. Also, if you still haven't voted in my poll, please go to my profile and vote! Only fifteen votes as of now and I think I'm only going to have it up for another week or so before I publish my one-shot, so vote! Alright, will update as soon as I can, please review! Thanks.


	58. Volterra Guest Room?

Hello everyone, thanks again for all the wonderful reviews and support :) I hope the story is still up to par for you all. Remember, less than a week left for my Esme-as-a-human-eye-color poll so go vote before it's too late! The Carlisle/Esme one-shot will follow almost immediately (so within the next seven days or so?) and speaking of one-shots lol, I just got the silliest idea in my head concerning Edward and Renesmee and it's already posted to my profile so yay! It's called 'A Lesson' and is primarily just kind of cute and funny, please go take a look at it if you have the chance and review, I would really appreciate it. Anyway, new chapter! Read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

***************************Nessie***********************************

The dark corridors and stone walls were that of a medieval era, torches high against opposite walls every twenty feet. I could feel the cool air brushing against my hot skin, a coldness that might've been freezing to a human. Oliver walked beside me, his shoulders sagging slightly and his breath coming unevenly. I wondered just how 'decent' the doctor had left him…he still looked weak and paler than I was used to seeing him. _Probably just enough to keep him alive…_

Mom and daddy hadn't told me much about this place, it seemed to be a memory they preferred to keep hidden…I could see why.

Jane had slipped away through another set of doors along our way, Alec hesitating before continuing with our little group. The corridor seemed never-ending, and I considered asking how much farther it was for the mere act of doing something besides walking pointlessly after an exhausting day, when we finally reached a fork in the path.

Demetri nodded towards Alec, Jeanine and Niles as they veered off towards the right and we proceeded to the left. Oliver glanced at me, his brow still creased, but I only answered with an equal furrowing of confusion.

"It's not much farther," Felix said behind us, his breath uncomfortably close to my ear. I felt my spine prickle in uneasiness and heard Oliver's throaty growl once again.

_Calm down_, I ordered him with a touch of my fingers.

We finally stopped in front of a set of doors, Demetri stepping forward swiftly with a key. I was taken aback at the simplicity of the design.

_Shouldn't there be prison bars or something?_

Oliver shrugged slightly beside me. I hadn't realized I'd sent him the question. But then—

"Alright, in you both go," Felix shoved us inside, blocking the doorway as we stumbled in. I tripped slightly to avoid bumping into Demetri, Oliver caught me.

The room was not what we were expecting.

It was a bedroom, similar to my own with the exception of being really fancy. The plush red carpet stood out royally against the black satin covered four poster bed. There was a small set of drawers on either side, several vases adorning each wall. There was no light in the room save for more lit torches, high enough to avoid any accidents; no windows. Another door in the corner led to a small bathroom, where a set of black robes hung readily along a metal bar.

Our confused expressions brought forth a chuckle from Felix.

"What? Too fancy?" he taunted.

I turned around, adorning my expression with a glare, but I was still too unsettled with the sight before me.

It was Demetri who finally addressed it. "Really, we're not all that bad," he said, "Carlisle Cullen is a close friend of Aro's, so it's the least we can do for his," here he smirked at me, "troubled granddaughter."

"Lucky for the savage," Felix snarled at Oliver, "that he's with her, otherwise we would've killed him immediately."

Another growl…this time from myself.

Felix laughed bitterly. "Now, now, be grateful we didn't throw you two into the dungeons, and hey," he added, his wicked grin widening, "this way you two can at least have some _fun_ before either of you die, mmm?" he motioned towards the comfortable looking bed with the black sheets. "I do say, mutt, she must be something in bed, her being half-human and all. I could imagine the excitement of having her bleed the first time. Lucky for her you're not one of us."

I understood instantly what he meant. Oliver did too. We both flushed and quickly let our hands drop from each others, Felix's sinister images making me sick to my stomach.

Demetri joined in Felix's taunting and they left chuckling, the click from the outside prohibiting any chance of escaping the room.

I stared angrily at the closed door. _The nerve of those idiots! To suggest that Oliver and I—that we actually—and my bleeding being a turn on to a vamp—disgusting!_

"Renesmee?"

I turned towards Oliver's soft voice, still angry but attempting to calm my expression for my friend's sake. He was sitting on the edge of the huge bed, his head leaning against one of the posts with an indescribable expression on his face. Most of the blood had been wiped away from his body, the gash across his exposed neck a mere scar now.

I went over and sat by him.

"I know," I said aloud, "I'll explain everything that's happened since you knocked out." I scrunched up my nose, glancing across the room towards the open bathroom. "Maybe you should take a shower first though," I suggested, a hint of a smile on my face, "you smell awful."

Oliver actually laughed, nothing in comparison to earlier in the cave, but a wonderful sound amidst our horrible circumstance nevertheless. "Ok," he agreed, "I don't think this loincloth is going to last any longer. How did I end up like this anyway?"

I couldn't hide the blush that exploded onto my face. _Um, I put it on you?_ But instead I simply turned away, his scarlet face suddenly realizing without my saying what had happened. "Just get in there," I mumbled, walking over to one of the drawers and hoping there was some kind of wardrobe in them. I sighed in relief; there was. "I'll find something that fits," I called out behind me, never once glancing back.

When I heard the soft thud of the door I finally turned around, thankful Oliver was no longer within sight of my exposed embarrassment. This room, I realized, certainly did not help the blurring lines of our friendship and past relationship. I flopped onto the bed with the only piece of clothing I'd taken out that looked worthy of Oliver's immense size, a pair of girls warm-ups.

The mattress sunk deliciously under my weight and for the first time since the dreaded incidents of earlier, I yawned, my eyelids a colossal burden to keep up. Without thinking I pulled myself further up the bed, my hands instinctively grabbing hold of the first pillow within reach. I'd never felt more exhausted in my entire life, and before I could decide whether or not it was a good idea, my eyes closed and I drifted into a deep sleep.

**************************Mystery Guy*******************************

"Ah, Jane dear, so you have returned," I stated. "Aro is not completely aware of the situation, as you know. He is still quite upset over your hasty retreat."

She bowed before me, her glinting eyes adorning her angel face. "Do not worry, master, Alec and I convinced him to bring the girls parents. Once he realizes the full extent, and masterpiece of the crime, he will welcome us back with open arms."

I half-smiled. "Clever girl. And I take it you are finally going to fill me in on everything?"

Her smile remained. "All in due time, sir. I'm sure, however, once you see the pair you will understand it all better than anyone else."

I turned away from her. "Jane, dear, your way frustrates me. If I hadn't known you had something up your sleeve I might've gone in the same rage as Aro."

I heard a small shuffle of her feet. "I apologize master, but it was only for the safety of our coven, of the law, that Aro remain ignorant, as well as yourself. I only told you what you already knew anyway."

I smirked. "Well, do make sure our 'guests' are comfortable for the time being. I can see there is much more to what it is come and I wouldn't want Renesmee Cullen killed before everything plays out."

She smiled once more before exiting the room. "Of course, master."

***********************Jeanine*****************************************

"Wait a minute, what do you mean you don't know?" I demanded, aware but for once not caring what he could do to me. Alec looked at me with an amused expression.

"I mean exactly that," he replied, "Aro doesn't know everything yet. However, he is still bound by the law to punish as deemed worthy. It is our assumption, with the girls parents on their way, that some kind of," he paused, searching for the right word…_trade?_ I though bitterly... "_Negotiation_ can be reached, which is entirely lawful as well—"

"But what about the boy?" I cut in. He wasn't answering anything I'd asked him, simply giving the vague version of things.

"Jeanine," he said, this time with a tad of annoyance, "that is not up for me or Jane to decide, you know that very well. There were no promises about his well-being, and—"

I growled and took a menacing step forward. "You told me it was the Cullens you were after! The imprint was only to be here as long as necessary, for the sake of the hybrid girl, and Niles has just informed me of the minimal work he actually did on him! You're going to kill him, aren't you? Just like—"

And suddenly I was writhing in pain, the agony I'd only experienced on several occasions, the initial threat that created the monster I now was.

"I can't believe that even after all we've been through together," Jane said, an air of innocence in her small voice, "you still care what happens to that disgusting excuse of a species! And he's nothing to you, at that!"

I'd dropped onto the floor, frozen with fear of being attacked again. I hadn't even sensed Jane coming up behind me.

"You're _weak_, just like I suspected all along," she continued, "I suppose it's good we made use of you for as long we did, though. At least you weren't a _total_ waste."

Alec looked at me through narrowed eyes, never once turning away as he spoke to his sister. "Should we lock her up or something?"

Jane smirked. "No, I don't think it will be necessary. Jeanine," she focused intently on me, "don't even think about doing anything stupid. You are what you are, nothing can change that, and no heroic little stunt you pull is going to change the past either. You are as much as fault as I am for—"

"Stop!" I pleaded. The guilt of those memories, those losses…I couldn't bear to hear them spoken aloud.

She knelt down and lifted my chin so that I was looking directly into her soulless red eyes. "That's what I thought. You wouldn't want another person's blood on your conscience, so be a good girl, eh?"

I forced down the growl in my throat, utter loathing and disgust for the girl before me. The evil creature that had ruined my life…Alec was simply another pawn in her evil ways, and so I only hated him marginally less, but _her_…

In a flash they were both on their merry way elsewhere, leaving me humiliated and miserable on the floor. I picked myself up slowly, making my way back to my own quarters.

_You're a monster, Jeanine, nothing is going to change that_…memories, vague but so very painful flashed through my mind…innocent people so swiftly killed…tearing into soft flesh, poisoning my—

I slammed the door and settled into the one chair I owned, grabbing my only relic from _then_ hastily, the feeling of polished wood rubbing soothingly against my stone fingers. My head sank as I brought my knees up to my chest.

_A better life…_

_No other choice…_

For the third time in my short life as a vampire, I wished I could cry.

* * *

Ok so at least one thing is clear from here: mystery guy is NOT Aro! However, (and maybe some of you caught onto the very subtle hint who he is) I'm afraid to admit that it's not going to be someone completely surprising—I'm starting to question why I put him as 'Mystery Guy' to begin with, but…oh well, lol, what's done is done. Anyway, the bigger mystery is definitely Jeanine! Many of you have been asking about her, and I apologize for all the confusion—especially now that you've read this chapter—but it will all be clear soon (maybe next chapter?), the only thing I will, regretfully, admit, is that her story is a tragic one :( Ok well, pushing onto something brighter, several things I need from all of you: go vote on my profile page on the Esme poll, read and review my Edward/Nessie oneshot, and of course review here lol. Please and thank you to all, love you!


	59. Frantic

I FINALLY SAW ECLIPSE! Hehe, I know, a bit late but I'm really broke and was going to have to wait till Sunday :( but then last night my bf took me so yay! Now I can write with more ease and no more distractions lol. Ok, so first off, thank you to anonymous reviewer Britt for pointing out my silly mistakes—Renesmee's Carlisle's daughter?—sometimes little things like that just slip my mind hehe. And of course, thank you so much to all my reviewers and supporters, you make me so happy with your reviews, fave's, alerts, but mostly reviews cuz it lets me know what you're really thinking (hint, hint,…). Another BIG thank you for reading my first ever oneshot with 'A Lesson'; fyi, my Carlisle/Esme oneshot will be released TONIGHT so feel free to R&R that one too, please? Alright, enough talking, here's the next chapter, read, review and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's legacy, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

****************************Jacob*********************************

"_Nessie, where are you going?" I asked her, racing after her giggling form. She ran freely, her hair flowing like meshing rivers behind her, a slight glow radiating from her beautiful face, laughing without a care in the world. I followed her, wincing slightly from an inexplicable pain in my chest. _

_That's weird…I ignored it, using all my strength to catch up to my swift little vampire. She stopped every twenty feet to look back at me, a teasing smile on her pink lips, motioning with her hand for me hurry up. I pushed my body to its maximum, the burning sensation in my chest increasing drastically._

"_Aaagghhh," I gasped, my knee hitting the ground as pain overwhelmed me. What's going on…I looked up, searching for the familiar face of the girl I loved more than anything, the reason for my existence, but…she was gone._

_I panicked, trying but failing to get back onto my feet, to phase even…but nothing worked…then— _

"_Jake, help!" she screamed, her sweet voice a haunting echo from the forest._

"_Nessie!" I bellowed, fighting a losing battle with my immobile body. I couldn't see her anywhere, her scent too far away for me to catch, the overhead clouds consuming the soft glow of her porcelain skin._

_And then I saw them._

_The girl, Jane, sent me a wave of indescribable pain, washing through every fiber of my body._

"_N-nes-sie," I somehow managed to sputter, but it was no use. Her red eyes gleamed maliciously as she turned away and ran into the darkness of the trees, Nessie's blood curdling screams never ceasing to reverberate throughout my entire existence…_

"NESSIE!" I yelled, my torso bolting straight up into the air.

_Just a dream, a horrible nightmare_…my eyes scanned the somewhat familiar room and I groaned.

I'm still in a nightmare…

"Jacob," said another voice, the motherly figure of the Cullen family. Esme hesitantly placed a stone hand onto my shoulder. I shrank away from it, the nightmare and my reality still taking its toll on me.

"You need to lay down," she tried again, this time a feeble attempt of a smile crossing her pale face.

"N-Nessie," I croaked in opposition, my head nodding defensively of its own accord.

"I know," she said, a remarkable sadness in her voice, "Bella and Edward are already on their way to Italy. And as soon as you're well enough—"

"I want to go now," I interrupted.

Carlisle entered the room, a small duffel bag in his hand. "And we will," he answered, "as soon as you're no longer a liability."

I started and stopped, remembering Esme's outburst from several hours ago—had it been that long ago?—and slowly eased myself back onto the sofa.

Esme smiled warmly at me, or at least tried to. I could see the wretchedness behind her black eyes, determined to do whatever it took to get her family back. Carlisle was still busy packing another bag—mine from the looks of it—and I could tell from his tense stature that he was still somewhat opposed to disobeying the Volturi's wishes…for fear for his granddaughter…

I would be ever grateful to Esme for this.

"How long?" I asked. She looked towards her fair husband.

"I'd say about another night," he answered, coming over to place his hands on her shoulders, "you should be able to at least jog by morning with your increased healing abilities, and the plane ride over should be more than enough to get you back to normal."

I sighed, a sigh of frustration and yet relief.

_Hold on Nessie, I'm almost on my way._

*******************************Oliver*********************************

"Renesmee,"I called out, sticking my head out the door, "Renes—" I stopped, noticing her sleeping figure on the bed, a pair of gray clothing held lightly in her outstretched arm.

_Sleeping beauty does exist…_

I reached for a towel and wrapped it securely around myself, making my way over towards the bed. She was breathing softly, her brow creased in anxiety.

_Poor Renesmee, I bet she's been through a lot today…or yesterday_…I couldn't tell what time of day it was at this point, whether it was a new day at all, everything seemed like a giant blur. Renesmee still hadn't filled me in on all the happenings.

I wanted to know about my brother, about the vampire back in the cave, how they had found us, what exactly was going on…but I didn't even think about waking her up, not when she was so clearly exhausted. I sat on the edge, refraining even from taking the warm-ups she clasped so as not to jostle her in the least.

She looked so beautiful, even now, covered in dirt, grime, and even blood, with her sweat matted down hair, and disheveled clothing. The lack of moonlight didn't hide the glow that still came off of her flawless face, soothing and everlasting in the most concrete definition of perfection.

I hesitantly, and very slowly, brushed away the stray hairs across her forehead, her warm skin warmer than usual, a contrast to my somewhat cooled, showered hands. My fingers traced the delicate curve of her cheekbone, lightly grazing her chin as the palm of my hand finally cupped her cheek. An incredible urge to reach down and kiss her lightly on the lips overcame me, to feel those soft lips against my own, even if it was solely one-sided.

A small moan emitted those lips, the wrinkle in her brow smoothing out and vanishing as she suddenly leaned into my hand, her nose nuzzling in what I could only guess was a sense of comfort, of security.

_Why couldn't she be mine?_

Even after everything that had happened, that _was_ happening, I couldn't get beyond the enigma that bounded me to Renesmee Cullen.

I shook my head to myself. _Don't be stupid, Oliver, you know damn well why you love this girl. She's perfect._

I hadn't realized how close her breath suddenly was as my head somehow ended up within inches of hers. Her warm breath came to a halt, and my hand no longer held her face as her brown eyes looked up at me curiously, knowingly…ashamedly.

I leaned back and looked away, a tear falling onto the towel wrapped around my waist at the same time.

"Sorry," I mumbled, "you just looked so peaceful, I—I…"

"It's ok," she mumbled back, her discomfort with our situation steeling the edges of her voice. I felt the cotton material of the warm-ups being pressed into my hands as she silently got off the bed and made her way over the bathroom.

"Let me just shower real quick also," she said, her voice tight and false, "I'll explain everything afterwards."

I just nodded, ashamed with myself for even thinking along those lines. She closed the door softly, the shower turning on almost immediately.

Even with the running water, however, I could still hear her muffled sobs.

************************Bella******************************************

No matter how blurry my human memories were, the plane ride seemed all too familiar. If I didn't know any better, I could've sworn it was actually taking longer to reach Volterra this time around.

"Edward, stop staring like that, you're making the father really uncomfortable," I whispered lowly. Edward blinked—his third time since we'd left Seattle—and simply turned his gaze onto something else.

I sighed, an involuntary breath shuddering through me. Edward was, by far, taking the whole situation in panic. He'd nearly sent the security girl at the airport into hysterics when she made us wait in line to go through, growled at a teenage boy—who looked remarkably similar to Alec with his fair attributes, even for a human—and had been staring with wild, unblinking eyes into the bronze hair of a human toddler sitting diagonally from us. She didn't look remotely like our daughter, but I could see the semblance of her hair, almost the same rich color as Renesmee's.

I understood his worry, as I myself was lost in my own pool of angst, but, as Alice had told me in a similar trip, I gently squeezed his hand and whispered, "It's faster than running."

He barely seemed to hear me, lost in his inner battle of sanity. I squeezed his hand comfortingly, an act to further my own mind's blur. My arm didn't hurt anymore, a mere scar left as a reminder of the horrible event.

"Daddy, what's wrong with him?"

I turned slightly towards the small, timid, voice. The same little girl Edward had been staring at…following her gaze I managed to keep from strangling my insane husband.

"Edward!" I hissed, slapping his wrist slightly, "I told you to stop staring!"

He looked at me, the worry in his eyes breaking my non-beating heart. I immediately softened with his hurt expression, cupping his smooth skin in my hands and bringing his forehead towards my own.

"Everything will be ok," I assured him, knowing the falsity behind my confident words but trusting in them with every hope that I could pray for. "Trust me, Edward," he closed his eyes, leaning into my touch, "we won't let anything happen to her."

****************************Sam**************************************

_Sam, Jake still doesn't look too good but I found out they're going to Italy as soon as he can get on his feet._

I furrowed my brow, my legs never once losing their pace. I knew how dire the circumstances were, and if need be…

_Thank you, Seth…I want everyone ready_, I commanded_, if Jacob goes to Volterra he might need us…I don't know for sure, but just in case, be ready. We might have another war on our hands…_

* * *

Ok, so not too exciting hehe *hangs head in shame* but I needed to put a Jake POV plus some of Edward's little overreaction snippets. Coming up next, Jeanine…well, sort of lol, Rosalie haha, and...well you'll see. For now, please read and review my latest oneshot 'And Golden Fell into Heavenly Hazel' yes, hazel won so yay! Also, if you haven't read my other one, 'A Lesson', please do so, it's very cutesy and just fun hehe. So, anyway, review! My next update will be up soon. Thanks.


	60. Tears

Once again, thank you ever so much for the great reviews and support, and that includes my one-shots as well. It makes me quite the happy little vampire-obsessed human and I don't know if I'd have been able to finish this story without, so thank you all! Here is chapter sixty, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some characters in this story.

**************************Rosalie***********************************

"Emmett! That's enough!" I yelled at him, but my usual happy-go-lucky husband continued to tear into the limp carcass, his anger seething through with every rip and snarl. I could understand, I was pretty pissed myself…

He finally turned my way and followed without speaking; no words were necessary at this point. Carlisle had called us a bit earlier and told us about flying immediately to Volterra, hunting thoroughly was going to be necessary.

Volterra.

I'd visibly cringed at the name, the haunting memories of the past coming explicitly to mind. If it should come to a fight, I knew our coven was strong, but…I couldn't pretend I wasn't scared.

We entered the front door within the next ten minutes, pausing only to briefly nod knowingly towards the rest of our family. Esme, Carlisle, Jasper, and Alice flew by us as we continued the final preparations to leave. It wasn't much, really, a few sets of clothes, money, and even a small tote bag for the dog.

I did a double check of our small luggage, making sure with extra attention that Nessie's clothes were there. She would definitely want to change into a fresh pair of clothes, what with the undoubtedly maiming the recent horrid events had done to the ones she had on, not to mention the stench of pungent dungeon rooms…I stopped, picturing my poor, tattered, niece sitting solemnly on the disgusting stone floor of a dark and dirty dungeon floor…it was heartbreaking.

_But she'll be home in no time_, I growled, forcing the optimism amidst such dreary circumstances.

"Hey Barbie."

I whirled around, too lost in my concerning thoughts before realizing who it was that spoke to me. I blinked at the mutt's slightly blushed face, averting eyes and similar anguish.

"I just wanted to uh," he turned his head, scratching behind his ear nervously—I refrained from making a snide comment—"t-thank you…" he mumbled.

_Thank me? For wha—oh that's right_. I'd been so lost in thought over everything that I'd almost forgot. I smirked. _Oh yes, Jacob Black was going to owe me big time._

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I asked innocently, feigning deafness. He looked up at me finally, his tortured eyes narrowing slightly.

I knew now was not the time for one of our 'conversations' but I couldn't help torturing him just a little bit…it was at least somewhat of a comfort, on my part anyway.

"I said," this time a bit harder, "_thank you_, for saving me and stuff."

I smiled at him, my eyebrows raised. "Your welcome, dog. Lucky for you Nessie loves you so much—"

"Don't!" he suddenly interrupted me, his anguish became apparent in his watery eyes, a hard but vulnerable look suggesting a terrible war invading the innermost crevices of his mind and soul…I hesitated.

"Just please, Rosalie—"

_Did he just call me by my name?_

"—I don't think I can take any more crap, even from you," he continued, "we don't like each other, I think we both agree on that one, but right now _Nessie_…" his voice broke as he spoke her name, salty streams falling and staining his copper skin.

I took an uneasy step backward…_He's crying! In front of me…_

He cleared his throat and tried again. "N-Nessie needs us, so let's just, you know, be decent with each other till this is all over, yeah?" Again that puppy dog look, begging me for…a truce.

I suddenly felt like the most horrible being in existence. It was clear as day: Jacob was dying, suffering like no other, with Nessie's absence, with the risky implications on her life. He had almost killed himself pursuing her, not caring what happened to him, or what his death would mean to his father—I wasn't even sure he remembered he had a father. On top of all that, Edward and Bella were already almost there and he was stuck here, disabled and helpless to be of any contribution in the rescuing of his one true love…and here I was, caught up in the frivolities of our 'I hate you' relationship…

And he was crying…Jacob Black was a mess of mucus and tears…

"I—I, yeah, ok," I answered, unsure of what else to say. Our relationship had never been this intimate—if that's what this moment was at all—and despite how much I understood him right now, how matched our goals were, I couldn't bring myself to say anything better, it was just so…awkward.

He looked away, nodding, the same glazed and hurt look in his dark eyes. I took a deep breath and took one step forward. _He's just a person, Rose, this shouldn't be that hard, yes a very smelly and disgusting mongrel of a person but still, you can do this…_

"Jacob, I mean it, truce," I said somewhat stiffly, giving him a small smile and extending my hand. He looked at me incredulously, almost smiling as he crossed the space between us and clasped his hand in mine. I refrained from pulling away and shrieking…_Be nice, be nice, he loves Nessie, Nessie loves him…_

"And your welcome," I added, grasping his hand a little tighter in acknowledgment. _This isn't too bad…I can be nice_…"I know Nessie's fine wherever she is, I—"

"Oh God, Nessie!" he suddenly bellowed, and before I knew what was going on, before I could leap away in disgust, he'd thrown himself into my 'waiting' arms and began bawling the Nile river into my perfect hair.

My eyes widened drastically and I stiffened. Several instincts crossed my mind all at the same time, above all: throw the dog across the room, shower IMMEDIATELY, drown him for good this time, and—

I stopped breathing, fighting every self-preserving urge in my body and mind, closed my eyes and stuck my nose as high into the air as possible and—

"NO FREAKING WAY!"

Jacob tentatively wriggled out of the very loose arms I'd only briefly placed around his bulking form, stepping back gingerly and smiling stupidly at my mixed expression of intended comfort and utter horror.

It was a pained expression no doubt.

"YOU HUGGED HIM BACK!" Emmett was still yelling, an unbelievable high at this _very_ unexpected turn of events.

I scowled in his direction. "Emmett, you keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you! Jacob was—"

"AND YOU CALLED HIM BY HIS NAME!"

My eyes began to blaze as I took a menacing step towards the stairs. Emmett was unfazed but Jacob's laugh stopped me.

"Don't worry about it," he said, the slight uplifting of his voice somewhat of a breath of fresh air on the entire ordeal, "I won't say a thing, and uh…thanks again."

I turned on him, my momentary 'comfort mode' gone and replaced with irritation. "Yeah, yeah, get over it dog," I snapped, making my way upstairs as Emmett came down, laughing nonstop.

_Men are so stupid sometimes_…but I couldn't help the small feeling of satisfaction with the fleeting laughter echoing throughout the house, no matter how short. Something told me we were going to need it within the next twenty four hours…

*************************Mystery Guy************************************

I waited calmly as Jane brought the wretched girl into my presence. Her gift, as useful as it had proved to be, was suddenly the least important in my mind. True, I hadn't a concrete idea of the situation, but if Jane had reason to believe she was meddling, then so be it.

She entered solemnly, careful and hesitant but never once avoiding my direct stare into her crimson eyes. "You called, master?"

I didn't bother moving as I answered. "Yes, Jeanine. Jane tells me you are being somewhat…"I paused, searching for the right word, "intruding. Tell me, young lady, do you not know your place in the guard?"

She blinked, unsure of what exactly I was implying. "Yes, master, but seeing as how Jane and Alec are no longer—"

"But even you, Jeanine, can see that, given their heroic actions as of late, capturing a treacherous villain, they will be given the option of reinstatement?"

She hesitated, thinking over her next words, a look of determination crossing her features. "Even so, my lord, it was never mentioned that anything happen to the boy. He is at no fault and—"

"Ah, getting a bit greedy for the lives of that insalubrious race are we now?" I said, standing up and looking down at her menacingly.

Her eyes widened, suspicious of my next words. "We both know they are our natural enemies, do we not, my dear?"

"Yes—"

"And you more than any of us, I daresay?"

"I—"

"And I would really hope," I continued, taking a step closer to her, "that you wouldn't take advantage of the favor we are doing, have been doing you all along."

If it were possible for a vampire to pale, she would be paling. "What are you talking ab—"

"Don't act stupid with me girl," I snarled, finally stepping directly into her line of vision, a mere foot away from her unfavorable colored face, "the only reason your father and sister are still alive is because _I_ haven't given the word to do otherwise."

She gasped, fear consuming whatever remnants of calm she had left.

"And you know how I feel about _them_," I continued, "so if I were you, I'd listen very intently to what Jane or Alec commands of you. They, unlike yourself, are working for the better of _our_ kind, so unless—"

"Jane said she was the only one—" she suddenly began pleading.

I ignored her. "—you do not care for their safety you will do as you are told, otherwise—"

And she was suddenly on the floor, sobbing tearlessly at my feet. "PLEASE NO! DON'T HURT THEM, I'LL DO ANYTHING, PLEASE MASTER CAIUS, ANYTHING!"

I growled and kicked her away from me. "Get away from me, you disgusting creature!" I hissed. "You're lucky you took so well to the transformation otherwise you'd be dead as well!"

She shuddered on the ground and looked at me, the pleas in her eyes dismissing any insult I was possible of throwing at her and only begging for the lives she'd left behind.

"Go now," I barked, "and remember, anything out of line, anything at all, and you can kiss the rest of your family good-bye."

Ok so I'm really, really, really excited for the next chapter. Now you know who the mystery guy is—as several of you already guessed haha—and perhaps a little bit more of Jeanine's story. Don't worry, though, the next chapter (maybe two?) will be dedicated to her and you will all find—finally—out her tragic and despairing past. What did you think of Rosalie and Jacob's little moment? Hehe, that is one relationship that oh so much fun to write *pauses and blinks as the vague idea of a Rosalie/Jacob oneshot starts to form in mind* so anyway, the next chapter will be up no later than Wednesday. Until then, if you haven't already, please read and review my latest oneshots (you can get to them by clicking on my profile page under 'My Stories') and of course, review this chapter. I want to hear your thoughts people! OOOoooh, I'm a receiving-reviews addict, haha, love you all and thanks!


	61. Jeanine

One of the bigger mysteries finally unveiled, Jeanine my OC lol. Hope you like :) Thank you to all my reviewers, I can't think of anyway to show you how much I appreciate it except with a big, virtual hug *HUG* but no kisses because I might be tempted to suck out your blood, mwuahahaha!...ok, anyway, read, review, and enjoy!

(Oh and 'Clancey' I have a message for you at the bottom since I can't reply back to anonymous reviewers, thanks.)

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

****************************Nessie********************************

I sighed, falling back onto the plush pillows and closing my eyes in exhaustion. Oliver was still somewhat startled with my explanation of the current events. He was relieved to know his brother was in good hands, but I could see the rest of the story held nothing worthy of such calm. He visibly winced when I determinedly described my mother's fight with Jeanine, his eyes bulging then collapsing in sadness when rogue tears escaped the corners of my eyelashes. All in all, it was quite depressing.

We had no idea how long we'd been locked up, though with the sound of Oliver's grumbling stomach I knew it had been a good while. We sat in silence for awhile, basking in the mere shadow of comfort that at least we weren't alone—no matter how uncomfortable in instances given our 'relationship'—drifting off to sleep in turns. We didn't dare sleep at the same time, afraid _they_ might come and take us unawares…and also to avoid any type of cuddling that might unconsciously occur, though we didn't say this aloud.

It was during one of my turns awake that the lock on the door suddenly clicked, the door slowly pulling inward as a dark skinned, dark haired familiar vampire stepped in lightly, her black robe hooding her face. I knew her already too well, however.

"Oliver, wake up," I said softly, prodding him a bit sharply to rouse him. He woke up immediately, blinking at me once before noticing the other body in the room. His reaction was a combination of narrowed eyes, audible growling, tensed shoulders, and a trembling shudder beginning at the top of his spine.

My reaction wasn't too far off.

Jeanine, very quietly scanned the outside of the door, her head moving slightly back and forth before slipping completely inside and silently closing the door, almost as if…_she was hiding something…?_

As her face met our hateful glares I was surprised with the lack of loathing on her own expression, and instead—

"I thought you might be hungry," she said in one breath, pulling a paper bag from beneath her robe. She strode swiftly, almost too fast for even our eyes, towards the edge of the bed and gently tossed the bag towards us, keeping an arm's length distance.

Neither Oliver nor I moved.

She sighed, a defeated sound emitting her evil self, completely out of tune with the dangerous predator I'd seen before. I was confused, suspicious, and then she spoke again.

"Look, you have every right to hate me, kill me even, but there are some things you need to know before you decide anything," she said evenly, softly, glancing every so often at the locked door.

I made to retort angrily but Oliver butted in first. "Why shouldn't we just kill you now?" he growled, springing off the bed as he spoke. "Because of you and your filthy bloodsucking friends, Renesmee and I might be sentenced to death! And our families—"

"_They_," she suddenly snarled, the venom glistening off of her curled lip, "are _not_ my friends."

I blinked, startled by her obvious disdain for 'they.' Oliver seemed to catch onto it also, but he continued as if unfazed.

"Does it matter?" he hissed. "You couldn't care less what happens to Renesmee, much less to me, a measly _werewolf_—"

"That's not true!" she spoke louder, hands clenched into fists and eyes sparking dangerously. "You have no idea what I—the things I've—_ugh_!"

She raised her hands up in exasperation, turning away with a loud sigh before suddenly springing back, this time right into Oliver's unexpected face. She was shorter than him by several inches but the lack of height didn't do anything to erase the widened eyes of my best friend. "Listen, little shape-shifter," she said quietly, "I am _trying_ to explain some things to you two. I know the circumstances are not in my favor, and I'm not asking you to be my friend, simply for you to _listen_! Trust me, I want nothing more than Jane and Alec's destruction, so if you just listen—"

"Wait," I cut in, by this point utterly puzzled, "you want Jane and Alec dead?

A smile crossed her expression, frightening with its intensity. Oliver took an unsteady step away from her, eyeing me nervously out of the corner of his eye.

"More than anyone in this existence," she stated, a crazed obsession taking over her red eyes, "throw in Caius and I'd need nothing in the world to make me happier."

Oliver, by now, was looking at her with an identical frown.

"_What_?"

Jeanine, satisfied with our momentary submission—be it through our incoherence of her mixed messages—motioned toward the paper bag and said, almost eagerly, "Eat. I want to tell you a story. Maybe then you will trust me, if only enough to help you when the time is right."

Oliver narrowed his eyes at her again. "How do we know you didn't pois—"

"Oh please!" she rolled her eyes, grabbing the bag and ripping it open in one fluid motion. Several things landed softly on the silk sheets: sandwiches, two chicken breasts, snack packs and a bag of pretzels. She took a sliver of chicken and gulped it down forcefully.

I started. "Where did you—"

"We have a small provisions cafeteria for any 'humans' serving us, she wasn't the only one you know, Gianna—" she stopped, a strange look coming over her as she mentioned the name. The red eyes disappeared briefly as she shook her head before opening them again. "Never mind that, a loss, another story for another time."

Oliver and I glanced at each other in like questioning…_could vampires be bipolar_?

"Renesmee Cullen, remember what I told you on the helicopter earlier?" she turned to me. I remembered, a shred of humanity amidst the dome of cruelty; I nodded.

"I meant it. _You_ are the one who is to be implicated, the one who, if justice is seen to, will be punished. However, your little imprint,"—I could feel Oliver's questioning gaze on my back, asking if we should correct her misunderstanding. I gave a slight, inconspicuous nod _no_—"technically didn't do anything wrong since he didn't actually kill anyone, understand?"

We both nodded, though one quick glance at Oliver told me he wasn't exactly thrilled with the news that I was a criminal and he was not.

"Nevertheless," she sighed, and this time I was at my wits end with all the confusion. She sounded unbelievably sad, her eyes closing as if for a painful memory, regret laced into an endless road of sorrow… "it is my belief that they are going to kill him, regardless of anything."

Oliver only blinked, not really surprised with the news. I, however, retorted angrily. "But he didn't do anything, I mean, you said so yourself! You're part of the damn Volturi, you could—"

"Do nothing," she said through gritted teeth, finally opening her eyes and staring angrily at a piece of the wall behind us. It was a statement of agony, of anger, of defeat…it suddenly dawned on me, a possibility as to why she had done everything she'd done…what had they done to her to make her so angry, so bitter…yet obedient?

"Please eat," she said again, this time a bit softer as she settled her chaotic eyes on us once more, "Many of my human memories are a blur, but there is one chapter of my life that will forever remain with me…I want to tell you my story."

****************************Jeanine************************************

"_Long, long ago there were a native people, the Chemakum, that lived just beyond your borders in the western area of Washington's Olympic Peninsula. They were never vast in numbers, and sadly quite contentious in character. Wars with their fierce neighbor, the Clallam, occurred often, and in 1850 their numbers had dwindled to a mere ninety, wiped out by Chief Seattle and the Suquamish people. It was at this critical point that a young girl, Narixha, embarked on a dangerous quest of escape; though the remaining people were herded into a smaller village, she knew it would not be for long, that only time would tell of their complete obliteration. She was right; by 1860 the Chemakum were no more, their only aboriginal kindred being the Quileute people." _

"Wait, so they were related to us?" Oliver suddenly asked. I smiled wanly.

"Yes, didn't you know the Quileute language originated from Chemakum?" I asked.

He shook his head, his brow creased in confusion, eyes curious nonetheless. "No, I thought we were descended from wolves—"

"As legend holds it, yes, but I'll get to that." I silenced him.

"_And so the Chemakum were never to be heard of again, believed to be exterminated completely. My ancestor, Narixha, managed to stow away on a ship headed west. Little did she know just how long of a journey crossing the ocean would take. She survived just barely, indulging on meager leftovers, picking through trash for scraps, and hiding in the smallest of corners to keep warm. She might've died on that fateful trip had it not been for an American teenage boy. Growing weary from the tiresome trip and limited nourishment, Narixha found her only solace in sleep, which was another issue in itself considering she needed to be on constant alert for fear of being found. One day, however, too tired to even care anymore, she overslept and was shocked to find two inquisitive blue eyes staring confusedly at her ragged mess. _

_The boy, younger in his years, could've ruined everything. Stowaways were never allowed, natives being of particular interest considering the begrudging relationship between white settlers and Native Indians back then, and so Narixha did the only thing she could think of._

_She slapped him and ran._

_The boy, whose name she would later find out to be Benjamin, was quick and caught up to her easily—"_

"Let me guess, they fell in love, huh?" Renesmee suddenly interrupted, somewhat of a gleam in her sad eyes.

I smiled wider this time. "Well, yes, to make a long story short, he helped her survive the rest of the trip and they fell in love. Now let me continue."

The two teens shifted, getting more comfortable on the bed, their miserable, once-narrowed eyes having calmed down a great deal. I smiled to myself…at least they're interested. I took a deep breath.

"_You can guess what happened once they reached the Japanese shore. The boy, Benjamin, was so enamored with Narixha he never wanted to leave her side. Considering her tragic past, however, they agreed it would be best to stay as far away as possible, and so they settled near a town called Aomori, within the edge of a small forest on a hill nearby. Years passed, they had many children, and the origin of their tragic history was passed down generation to generation. They formed a sort of small community, a huge family of a sort. They never called themselves Chemakum, however, they knew it was their rightful heritage but never spoke of it to outsiders for fear of any possible enemies. Nevertheless, it was important that we knew the truth."_

I sighed. The _easy_ part of my story was almost done…

"_We knew the truth, as I said, and we knew the sacredness of keeping our origins a secret, however…there was one thing we were never told, at least not all of us…the legends of our kindred brothers, the Quileute people. I do not know why we were never told, why Narixha would keep such an important secret to herself, if I had known then maybe…perhaps she didn't know about that until it actually happened…well, I will get to that. _

_I lived with my mother, father, my elder brother Hansel, and my younger twin brother and sister, Jeremiah and Serena. Life was as good as could be hoped, my older brother was about to go into college and my younger siblings about to start high school. I myself was in my final year of secondary._

_One day, while on an errand for mother, I happened upon the strangest sight on the edge of the road, a small girl with pale hair, her head hidden in her knees, cowering on the ground and shaking. I pulled over and asked the girl if she was alright, walking briskly to her side with an outstretched hand. She whimpered in response and I tentatively placed a gentle hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture. I was surprised by her cold skin but refrained from pulling away in disgust; a crying girl, alone on the side of the road, something was definitely not right. I coaxed her to tell me what was wrong, that maybe I could help her."_

I felt my eyes close at the memory, the moment of deception that had started it all.

"_She finally looked up at me and I remember an overwhelming urge to take a step back. She was absolutely beautiful, a breathtaking angel child, pale skin with bronze, almost red eyes…it was a terrifying beauty, and I was only vaguely aware of the lack of tears on her pretty face, too entranced with her unrelenting glamour. She spoke to me then, and if I thought her appearance was something, her sweet voice was intoxicating. _

_She told me her brother had gotten lost in the woods and she was afraid to look for him by herself. I helped her off the ground and volunteered to help her, still unable to look away from her delicate and exquisite face. As we walked into the woods I asked of her family, of how she'd come to be here in the first place. She answered timidly at first, avoiding my gaze as we got farther in. Her confidence grew with the distance as well. I couldn't help but notice the almost cat-like way in which she moved, soundlessly through the many roots and brambles strewn across the dirt-packed floor. She must be some kind of dancer or something, I thought. _

_After about fifteen minutes, she suddenly stopped, staring straight ahead as I continued a few steps before noticing her halt. Confused, I turned around to ask if she was alright…and then I saw her eyes, no longer the pretty bronze-reddish color I'd met her with, but a deep blood-red. I found myself without words at the sight, and for some reason she smiled, though it was no ordinary smile, nothing sweet like the girl I'd found on the edge of the road. This one was sinister, foreboding, and instead of going towards her I found my feet moving backward. _

_I didn't understand the sudden clenching of my stomach, the instinct to run away as fast as I could. She was just a little girl! There was nothing to be afraid of…My thoughts were a mass of confusion and fear, but it wasn't for long. Within the next second I was thrown against the trunk of a tree, the pain justifying my earlier thoughts of doubt. Through a blur in my water-filled eyes I could see the girl smiling wickedly at me, her lips pulled back to reveal a terrifying sight. She moved closer to me, fifteen feet away, slowly, as if enjoying my inevitable death. My brain was fuzzy with the pain in my body, the blood running down my head, but I began to realize what exactly she was…_

_A vampire._

_I only knew vampires from storybooks, myths, and despite my spiritual roots I'd never actually thought them to exist, but seeing her in front of me, her paleness, coldness, incredible speed and strength…I had no doubt in my mind she was the very same monster. _

_She crouched, her eyes blazing hungrily as she prepared to spring onto my helpless form, but all of a sudden, out of nowhere, a huge, black creature toppled her over, snarling viciously as they rolled away into a mess of limbs and snarls. I only barely made out what the creature was…a wolf…before I fled._

_I raced through the forest, my aching body forgotten and self preservation taking over every instinct. It took me less than half the time to get to my car and hastily jump in. I drove away as fast as I could, sobbing nonstop and terrified for my life." _

I paused, wincing with the memory. I knew the worst was yet to come. Renesmee looked at me with knowing eyes, a hint of what I could only guess was compassion in her brown pools.

"It was Jane, wasn't it?" she asked. I nodded, closing my eyes once more.

"Yes, it was Jane." I took another breath.

"_That night, in my home, my wound washed and cleaned by mother, I slept restlessly. Though I'd taken every precaution I could think possible, burning my clothes, de-sanitizing my car and even my body with bleach and soap, I was utterly worried. I'd told my parents I'd been attacked by a wild animal; they were both already older in their years and I didn't want to scare them. I remember panicking when Hansel never showed up for dinner, but quickly calmed down when mother said he'd told her earlier he was working the nightshift that night. Nevertheless, I was in a frightened state and I forced my younger siblings to keep their windows closed, anything to keep the monster out. I kept my own window locked that night, but…now I know just how naïve I was._

_Jane took me that night, leaving no evidence of her break-in whatsoever. Before I even knew what was happening, how I'd ended up in an isolated patch of green and brown, I began to feel the most excruciating pain of my life."_

"_Jane_ changed you?" Oliver blurted out, his eyes bulging in disbelief. Renesmee elbowed him to shut up and I merely gave him a glance.

"There is no need to go into the horrid details of the pain, simply believe that it is the most horrible pain one could experience…well, physically anyway, and I will never forget it." I said before continuing.

"_I don't know how long it was before the pain finally receded. As I opened my eyes for the first time in this wretched life the first thing I saw was Jane. She was a bit a ways from me and, remembering she was a vampire, I instinctively jumped in preparation to run. She laughed, however. _

"_Well, I'm surprised you didn't die after all, considering your 'blood'," she'd said. I was suddenly aware of how intact my senses were, and not just intact but very, very, very intact, as if everything had been enhanced…_

"_If you run they're going to kill you," Jane continued, eyeing her fingernails whilst talking, "So I suggest you listen up, newborn."_

_I wanted very much to run, to get away from the evil girl, but something about my different state of being, the way she'd said 'newborn,' and the indescribable sensation with the word 'blood,' kept me there, somewhat crouched in suspicion. Jane began explaining everything then, what I was, what the rules were, and an organization, a sort of government called the Volturi._

"_You are very fortunate, you know," she'd said, finally locking her eyes with mine. "There are some vampires who possess special gifts. One of our leaders suspects you may be of use to us, and so it is only because of that that you are still alive."_

_I was confused. Gifts? What gift could I possibly have? I was never anything special as a human…and how would they know anyway? Jane continued speaking, finally revealing the main reason for my transformation. _

_Join the Volturi or die._

_I got angry. There were still several things she hadn't explained, and considering my predetermined route to damnation I didn't care whether I died or not. Why had they come here in the first place? What exactly did they want with me? What did she mean by my 'blood?' I opened my mouth, an involuntary breath escaping as I attempted to retort back angrily, but then—_

_I felt it, the thirst for…blood, an insatiable sensation ripping through my throat with that one breath, consuming my entire mind and body. Jane laughed._

"_Oh, yes, one more thing," she'd smirked, "being a newborn, you're going to be quite overcome with thirst."_

_I barely heard her, the need for quenching my crazed thirst overwhelming every rational thought. Jane took advantage of my vulnerable state._

"_Once you are part of the Volturi guard, you will never be thirsty," she'd said, gleaming red orbs staring triumphantly at me._

_The thought was more than I could handle, all the blood I wanted…suddenly a scent hit me, strange and slightly nauseating, but as it got closer, there was only one thing that stood out from it: delicious blood._

_I turned instinctively towards the aroma, my eyes catching sight before Jane's, and I saw them: two giant wolves headed towards our way. I hardly noticed until later remembrance Jane's wide eyes, all I heard at the moment was a quick order._

"_Kill it," she'd said._

_And I did, lunging for the smaller of the two, its pulsing veins driving me insane with obsession. The other wolf mysteriously crumpled into a giant heap behind me and Jane swooped in; I was only vaguely aware, however, too preoccupied with consuming the animal's blood in my arms. I remember the taste being somewhat sour, bitter on my tongue and throat, but quenching nonetheless. And so I focused solely on the need, ignoring the taste completely. My eyes closed of their own accord as I sucked in the thick liquid, drinking greedily until the horrid taste began to finally register. With one last intake I quickly pulled back, releasing the beast so that it fell limply on the ground, much lighter than it'd been when I attacked."_

I squeezed my eyes shut, the first _real_ painful memory explicit in my mind, the very first time as a vampire that I'd realized I couldn't cry.

"_As I pulled away from it, I suddenly realized why it felt so much lighter, why HE felt so much lighter…the boy lay in a lifeless heap, his russet body bare and trembling no longer, his black hair plastered against his clammy forehead, lips parted in shock and eyelids doing a final flutter with the lack of blood and the infiltration of my venom. His eyes, my father's eyes, stared back at my betrayal, and I realized with the most piercing and heartbreaking agony who he was."_

"It was Jeremiah, my younger brother."

* * *

**Long author's note, read if you're curious**

OMG! Ok, so before I get bombarded with questions, I need to let you know that there is still more to her story. I'm sure some of you have noticed several holes in this account, for instance, who were the other two wolves that Jane killed? Were they other family members? The rest of the story, as known by Jeanine, will be in the next chapter—it would've been waaaaay too long to fit into this one, already about 4000 words!—and so just bear with me.

I did some research for this chapter regarding the Chemakum (also written Chimakum). The main thing you need to know is that they are the Quileute's only kindred and were wiped out. My alteration of these events is one escaped girl and ALSO the tie to the wolf descendant myth. I originally planned on just inventing another tribe in Asia that was descended from wolves, but in this way there's at least some plausibility to it. True, the Chemakum might not have been closely related to the Quileute, but 'kindred' means 'family,' so the idea that they are also descended from wolves, however distant, is more realistic. Also, the Chemakum being wiped out in 1850 deviates—with different sources—from 1855 to the 1860s, just to let you know. The town Aomori is located in the northern Tohukan region of Japan. 'Aomori' actually means 'blue forest' thus my choice for Narixha and Benjamin's settlement (needed them near a forest for my events to work out). I am not too familiar with the area so if anyone finds a mistake in my tale of events please let me know.

Also, though Jeanine's brothers had the 'wolf' gene, she did not, thus the reason for her transformation. HOWEVER, she is still part Chemakum—Quileute relative—and this is going to be a contributing factor to other events. Remember her unique smell? That's one example. Ok well, next chapter will be up soon, please review till then! This is a VERY different chapter from the rest, but absolutely necessary; I would really like to know what you think, what you liked/hated if you hated it completely. I do think I might've over-explained some things (like her origins?) but better to be thorough in my opinion. Alright then, thank you all again for all the support, lots of candies and cookies, muchos dulces y galletas! Don't forget to review, thanks :)

_Note to anonymous reviewer Clancey_:

hello, just wanted to clear a few things and seeing as how I can't exactly write back, here goes lol. Know that I'm ever-grateful for your honesty and please note that this is in no way my attempt to offend you/your views. If there is one thing I try really hard to do in this story it's keep the characters true to themselves, so this is just my reasoning.

Perhaps I should've put a warning for language regarding Jake's F moment, but you need to see it from Jake's perspective. He is unbelievably upset because his reason for living, for existing, is in a perilous situation and he can't do anything about it. For the moment, the people stopping him from storming out and going to Italy are Carlisle and Esme. Jake has always seemed like one to quickly lose his patience when it comes to things/people he is passionate about (I remember him going haywire when he realized Edward is marrying Bella; also when he finds out he's agreed to have sex with her before turning her) and Nessie is his biggest passion yet, by far more important than Bella ever was. This being the case, Carlisle and Esme are the temporary enemies by not letting him leave, know what I mean? Throughout my story, no matter all the bad stuff that's happened to him, Jake has not really displayed any crude language; however, now that it's directly dealing with Nessie's wellbeing, I felt him dropping the F-bomb would be the ultimate display of his emotions, considering also that he can't physically do much in his wounded state.

Now for the Nessie/Oliver implied 'sexual' relationship. As far as I can remember there has only been one 'steamy' moment. I have explained this at least twice but basically it goes something like this: Nessie is, mentally, much older, and Oliver is a young man with hormones, simple as that.

I hope you can understand where I'm coming from, I'm not asking you to like it lol, since everyone is entitled to their opinions, but at least see the reasoning behind these events. Thank you for your honesty, once again, and for reviewing; in all honesty on my part, critiquing reviews can do nothing but help me with my writing, thanks :)


	62. Tragedy

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm _soooo_ sorry for the late update! :( Please don't hate me, I've been having some insane issues with my internet lately. Thank you all for being so supportive with the reviews/messages/fave's/alerts, it means so much to me, you have no idea. Here's the next chapter, I'll do my best to have the next one up by tomorrow as well, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

*************************Jeanine****************************************

I let the momentary silence that followed this last comment sink in for bit, the painful memory a burden on every thread of air that disseminated the room, my eyes closed for every biting second, wallowing in the inescapable darkness that clouded not only the back of my eyelids but every second of my existence.

"Jeanine, I…" Renesmee finally spoke, her timid voice awestruck, but no further words were able to follow.

"Yeah, uh, we're…" Oliver this time.

I opened my eyes slowly, looking away as I spoke. "No need to be sorry. It was a tragedy that no words of condolence could make any better."

"But—"

I shook my head and looked into her warm, brown eyes. "No, Renesmee, saying your sorry will change nothing. Though I thank you both for still listening."

"Wait, there's more?" Oliver butted in. Renesmee shot him an annoyed look. He blushed. "Oh, I didn't mean it like that, I just…"

I gave him a small, lifeless smile. "I know, but yes, there's more…"

"_You can imagine how my actions destroyed me, tore into every inch of my iron skin, my dead heart. I wanted nothing more than to die, and Jane's offer was nothing to me anymore, a promise to an empty life. No amount of blood, no matter how consumed I was by thirst, could rival the murder of my brother, the murder I'd committed, and his final moments alive…seeing me, his older sister, a bloodthirsty vampire, his killer…_

_Jane had already killed her wolf, of course, and when I looked to see who it was I felt another tug of great sadness. It was an older boy, a friend of my older brothers. I admit that there was a vague feeling of confusion in the back of my mind, and if it wasn't for the current situation I might've questioned why these boys were wolves to begin with, and hence made the connection towards Hansel's death…but of course I was too distraught._

_Joining the Volturi was the furthest thing on my mind at that point, and I turned towards Jane angrily, demanding death. As I charged her I felt writhing pain again, but it was nothing in comparison to the emotional wreck that obsessed me. Coming to, she merely smiled at me, the same sweet, angelic smile that had gotten me in trouble to begin with. It enraged me, and I begged her to simply kill me, that I wanted nothing more to do with the monster I'd become, but then…_

"_Actually, we've decided to keep you, so death is no longer an option," she'd shrugged, "sorry."_

_I began to tear away at my own skin, a suicidal vampire at its worst, but again, Jane wouldn't let me. My rampage was cut short by another wave of her power, and this time when I came to, I wished I hadn't. A new vampire had joined her, similar in height and size, but male, and in his arms, limp and unconscious was another body, human and full of savory blood…"_

"My mother."

Renesmee looked horrified. "No! You didn't—"

My eyes flashed angrily for a brief second. "No, I didn't do anything to her. I was still too upset, too focused, to give into my savage instincts."

Renesmee flushed, looking down immediately, mumbling an apology. I took another breath and went on.

"_No, my mother was simply unconscious. Alec, the other vampire, had kidnapped her to bait me, promising me her death should I refuse to do as they commanded…I had no choice. _

_When I arrived in Volterra, another vampire, one with the gift to identify other's gifts, told me I did indeed possess a very valuable gift. A shield, but not just any shield, a relocating shield that renders the area into a sort of hybrid zone…Of course, the relocating part is common in every kind of shield, simply a matter of extensive practice, but that is another point. I was a bit confused, you see, as to how—without the identifier's help—they knew I would come to possess such a gift once immortal. Aro, after a quick glance towards his companions, explained."_

I paused, my mouth tightening at the next grim memory.

"_Word that a possible werewolf clan resided in my home had reached the Volturi, and so the leaders and a few select guard members made their way towards Aemori. I was, originally, just another one of Jane's snacks, however, an interesting event happened when I was temporarily saved by that first wolf…As I told you, I fled as soon as Jane was preoccupied, only later wondering which member of our small village that first wolf could've been, but never really mulling it over much. My Jeremiah was already dead, and I had yet to even know the whole truth regarding why he was a wolf to begin with, it was the only thing I could think of, and I was still an emotional mess._

_It had never occurred to me that the first wolf was actually…little did I know, did even Jane know, that Marcus was relatively close. His gift entails identifying the intensities of different relationships, and it so happened that he felt it immediately once I was far enough. You see, the wolf that saved me in vain was actually…my older brother, Hansel."_

"Marcus felt the connection between us and wondered why he hadn't whilst I was near…" I faltered, the memory of my older brother overwhelming my mind.

"So," Renesmee continued slowly, "he thought you might possess some kind of shield."

I blinked, only barely glancing at her. "Exactly."

"_Marcus ordered Jane to change me, stating that, considering my ancestry, I might make for an interesting shield, should I manage to live past the transformation that is. My dying was a risk they didn't even consider, of course. Fortunately for them, I took to the change as normal as could be expected._

_As you can probably guess, my new life began. I was fed well, watched over vigilantly, and trained strenuously. At this point I had no idea what Jane had in store for me, but I did notice her constant presence around me, as if overlooking my progress. I was soon to find out why…Months passed and I also found out the truth to my family's ancestry, the connection between the Quileute people and their myths. I began to wonder about my remaining family, my parents and younger sister. Jane had assured me that so long as I remain loyal and not try to escape, they would remain safe. Still, however, there came a point where I needed to be absolutely sure._

_Against orders, I called home. When no one answered I called a second time, only to hear the small voice of my younger sister on the line. It baffled me, you see, when we were growing up my mother had always been the one to answer the phone. She'd been obsessed with it, actually, and even today I cannot fathom why she insisted on doing so but…well, needless to say, it worried me. I allowed several days to pass and phoned again; Serena answered. I began to get suspicious, and when my inquiry to check on them was immediately denied, I straight out panicked._

_So I left, home to Aemori. _

_It was as I suspected. My mother was gone. Enraged, I travelled back to Volterra, ready to rip Jane's pretty little head off. When I finally found her, however, she wasn't alone._

_She was in one of the dungeons, a look of complete disappointment on her porcelain face, her arms wrapped securely over a bundled figure. I immediately rushed over to pull it from her arms, already suspecting what, _who_ lay beneath the cloth. _

"_You disappoint me, Jeanine," she'd said, "we had a deal, don't you remember? Listen and your family stay safe."_

"_My mother—"_

"_Was completely safe until you decided to abandon us."_

"_You're lying! I checked, she's been missing for months!" I screeched._

"_Jeanine, Jeanine," she shook her head, getting off the stone bench and coming closer to me. "Don't you see? Your mother WAS safe, getting the best of meals, an occasional book to read, and then you just had to—"_

"_Wait, she's been here?" I asked, the thought of my imprisoned mother shadowing my every thought._

_Jane laughed. "Well, of course, silly. I had to find some way of making sure you kept your end of the deal. Too bad you didn'—"_

_That's when I snatched the wrapped body from her cold, impartial fingers, quickly removing the topmost corners to unveil the face. It was her of course, my mother, my loving and caring mother, her skin cold from death…_

"That was the second time I wished I could cry," I finished, "and even though I hadn't personally killed her, it still felt that way."

Renesmee was in tears, her open mouth dropped in horror. Oliver seemed to be fighting his own onslaught, squeezing her hand comfortingly.

"Jane agreed to let my father and sister remain in Aemori, untouched, so long as I remain completely loyal. She explained to me also Caius' deliberate hatred towards anything in affiliation with werewolves."

"_If it were for him,"_ she said, _"your father and sister would already be dead."_

"It was my belief, until very recently, that Jane was the only one who knew of my remaining family." I glared off into another distance, recalling my encounter with Caius. "Seems I was wrong."

There was more to that fact, of course, that Caius might be behind more than I'd ever known, but I decided to leave that for another time.

"And so I agreed to submit completely, for the sake of my remaining family…You can guess what happened after that. Jane came up with a plan to capture you, Renesmee Cullen, and I was the key component…I hate myself for doing everything that I've done to bring you any harm, believe me I do, but you must understand, I—"

"I understand," Renesmee interrupted, "I would do the same for my family."

I gave her a small smile in thanks. "Now you see why I cannot do anything to help you further, however? And why I am insistent on your careful eye over Oliver?"

Renesmee nodded, a defiant gleam coming over her brown eyes. "Because nothing is sure here…"

"Yes. If there is one thing I've learned during my time in Volterra, it's that they are completely selfish, and compromise, negotiations; everything is about them, no matter how much they promise..."

Suddenly the door slammed open and I immediately turned around in surprise, terrified I'd been found out, but—

"Ah, Jeanine dear," smiled Felix, "don't worry, don't worry, I won't tell Jane about your little visit with," he laughed, eyeing Oliver with a sneer, "the _relatives_. You can repay me a bit later," a disgusting smile erupted onto his features, perverse and knowing, "for my silence. Unfortunately I will have to break up your little session, though, direct orders from Aro. Renesmee Cullen and her little dog are required."

I could feel the rapid increase in the two teens hearts, and Renesmee's erratic intake of breath with Felix's last sentence.

"Edward and Isabella Cullen just arrived."

* * *

Alrighty, so that's Jeanine's story (and trust me, I tried making it as short as possible, not just another history lesson lol). Of course there is the mention at the end of Caius' possible contribution…hmmm? Wonder what that is about?...lol. As usual, please review!

Oh and one more thing: I do my best to reply back to each review, even if it's a simple 'thank you.' However, whenever I happen to get a review that requires explanations/comments/etc from an anonymous reviewer, it is really hard for me to answer back lol (as you saw in my last chapter, the personal note to one reviewer). For the sake of clarity, I would really recommend getting a fanfiction account, it makes things much easier lol, but that's up to you of course. Oh and also! If you try sending me your email address remember that this site censors things like that, so when you write it out I would suggest writing out (at) and (dot) for the actual symbols with spaces that way it appears at all, make sense? Ok well that's it for here lol, thanks.


	63. Bittersweet

Ok, so I'm really late again :( however, guess what I've been doing? I have an approximate chapter count for you! Yes, I outlined the rest of the chapters (first time actually lol…I know, not very responsible but, well the story's come along alright, no?) and it's going to be between seventy-five and eighty chapters total, depending on whether or not some scenes are longer than I outlined them. Given that we are on chapter 63 that means about another twelve to seventeen-eighteen chapters left, which (if I keep updating two to three times a week) means the story will be finished in four to six weeks! Yes, I know I said by July but…well, we'll see lol. Anyway, thanks again for all the lovely reviews, I love you guys, really I do! Here's the next one, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

******************Seth***********************

I ran as fast as I could home, not really knowing what I'd be packing—if I needed to at all—but knowing there was no point in waiting restlessly.

_Seth, don't worry about packing, I'll take another set of clothes for you. Let the others know, Leah, Paul, and Jared. I'm making arrangements for our temporary leave._

_Yes sir_, I thought, right before his thoughts vanished.

Leah was going to be pissed, no doubt, but it was Jake's order. Luckily for me she found me before I found her.

_HE SAID WHAT?_

_Relax, sis, we still have another couple of hours or so before—_

_WHY CAN'T THE BLOODSUCKERS JUST TAKE CARE OF IT THEMSELVES!_

_The Cullens, Leah, not bloodsuckers— _

_Oh please, now you're trying to be politically correct?_

I sighed. _The Cullens don't think we should be going at all, but…well you know Jake when it comes to Nessie. He wants us all on the next flight to Italy, about three hours after theirs actually. He—_

_So they don't even know we're going? GREAT, JUST PEACHY!_

_Calm down, Leah_. Embry.

_Yeah, we get to kill bloodsuckers! It'll be a blast!_ Paul

I didn't have to listen as Leah phased out to know what kind of thoughts were going through her head.

_Hey guys, so where are we going? _

I groaned at the last voice. Adrian, a newer member, way too young…

_Sorry, kiddo, strictly fifteen and up, Jake's orders._

_Aaawww! Come on, please!_

_Nope, sorry, Alpha says no need for kiddies. Besides, who's going to stay here and protect La Push while we're gone?_

That seemed to brighten his mood. _Hey yeah_…and just like that, he was gone, off to tell the other pups—only about three more—the 'good' news.

I couldn't help but feel my own burst of energy. Those vampires would never know what hit them…

*************************Alice***********************************

It was only a matter of several more minutes, eternal minutes till our plane would arrive and we could board. I closed my eyes in pretense of mild sleep; the truth was I was completely frustrated. I'd been sitting here as calmly as I could, Jasper on my left and Jacob on my right—though I felt his warm skin brush away as he abruptly got up, something about the restroom. It was only several minutes ago I'd been able to see several things…Edward and Bella being led down a torch lit hallway…Caius smiling smugly in satisfaction…Felix and Demetri making their way down another hallway, slightly blurry so I could assume they were near Nessie or Oliver, or both…and then suddenly everything just disappeared.

I flashed my eyes open in alarm, Jasper's calming face immediately looking deeply into mine.

"Jazz, I—"

"What? What did you see?" he asked worriedly, brushing my hair back affectionately, his calming waves easing my anxiety.

"I saw several things, glimpses mainly, and then everything just disappeared…" I felt myself stop as the warm presence was by my arm again. Jacob looked at me curiously, his eyes confused with my alarm…or so he feigned. I quickly closed my mouth and looked at him more intensely, my eyes narrowing suspiciously, my thoughts working over time and making connections…maybe…he glanced away hurriedly, avoiding my gaze afterwards.

"Alice, what—"

"Never mind," I said, absentmindedly turning around to place a chaste kiss on Jasper's nose, "it must be Nessie and Oliver blocking me out, or even that Jeanine character."

He looked like he was about to say something else but I simply smiled at him and closed my eyes once more, this time in the pretense of doing what I had originally been doing. Beside me I could almost feel the tug of a small, understanding smile on Jacob's face.

****************************Nessie*********************************

I couldn't help the surge of happiness that rose in my chest with the knowledge that I'd be seeing my parents soon. Even Felix's taunting went ignored as we made our way down the hallway towards two large doors. I could feel my heart began to race, my emotions battling an eternal fight…anxiety, fear, happiness…

_Jasper, where are you when I need you…_

I was numbly aware of Oliver's hand in mine, and I gently squeezed it in reassurance, recalling Jeanine's story and how important my friend was to me. He glanced at me with a nervous expression, a wane smile.

_Don't worry, Oliver, I won't let anything happen to you._

He almost rolled his eyes and returned the squeeze, a look that clearly said 'don't be stupid, _I'm_ protecting _you_.'

Suddenly we were through the big doors, Demetri going in first with Oliver and I in the middle and Felix in the rear. As soon as we were in, however, Oliver was quickly grasped into Felix's iron grip and Demetri lightly took hold of my arm. Then I saw them.

"NESSIE!"

"SWEETHEART!"

I felt my tears brim over, cascading down the length of my cheeks, my throat heaving dry without explanation as words failed to escape. My body knew what I wanted, though, struggling against Demetri's grip instantly. Daddy made to move forward, a terrible anger in his agonized eyes but Aro suddenly spoke.

"Go ahead, Renesmee."

At this the stone fingers quickly released me, and I ran as fast as un-humanly possible into my parents waiting arms.

No words can explain the emotion I felt as their warm embraces and kisses enveloped me with love and affection, an unmistakable joy surrounding our huddled figures. I could smell their sweet breath, slightly cooler than a humans but delectable to my pathetic frame of mind, feel their arms, hands, crooks of their necks, holding me tightly as if they would never let me go. I definitely wouldn't mind.

"Nessie, sweetheart, we've missed you so much, been so worried—" mom spoke to me softly, hurriedly, her hair brushing against my cheek as I burrowed my face into her shoulder, feeling like the fragile child I should be.

I could feel daddy's chest pressed safely behind me, protecting and secure as he clasped our embrace. His voice, more throaty than mom's, muttered incoherently, worried and scared for me, but relieved to finally have me in his arms. I said nothing, could say nothing; I was too happy, if at least for the moment.

Daddy suddenly flipped me around to face him, his haggard appearance finally fully registering in my memory.

"Are you hurt? Did they do anything to you?" he demanded, anger seething out with each word. I knew he already knew what I was thinking, of course, but I could see just how frantic he was, worried out of his mind. I felt a pang of guilt with the realization, imagining the horror my already paranoid father must've gone through with my disappearance, which of course brought more tears.

"I—n-no, daddy," I managed to croak out. He realized what had been going through my mind and immediately swept me into his arms fully, holding me to the point of almost crushing; I felt no pain however, simply overwhelmed with emotion as my loving, over analytical, and obsessed father tucked me into his chest and wept as only a vampire could, his hands caressing soothingly against my shoulders and back. I embraced him with as much fervor, clutching every bit of him as I could. Mom was behind me now, softly stroking my hair as daddy continued to babble how none of this was my fault, and how he promised he would figure out how to fix everything, to save Oliver as well. His protective arms continued holding onto me, convincing all of us that they would never let go, that I would always be safe, in the invincible power that were my parents.

It was a moment of complete happiness, a moment of complete sadness. I closed my eyes and basked in this moment, never wanting to be away from them. How I missed them so! Mom, so strong, even in moments like now, shielding the world and all its evil from me; daddy, passionate and raging with the ones he loved, ready to take on whatever evils managed to escape with a vengeance only the impossible could imagine.

I should have known moments like this, amidst a peril like now, would never be long enough.

Aro said one word, one name. "Felix."

And just like that, I could feel my self being ripped away from my parents.

"DADDY! MOMMY! NO!" I screamed, kicking and flailing. Both of my parents reacted immediately, their snarls and rage bursting as they tackled my captor simultaneously, throwing him down to the floor. I only barely had time to get out of their way as daddy continued struggling against Felix's thrown figure, mom swiftly taking me into her protective hold.

"DADDY!" I cried, knowing just how strong Felix was, but my cry went in vain, as did my parents attempt to keep me from returning to their predatory arms.

In a flash, Jane walked in and appeared by Oliver's side, her teeth bared with venom as she hovered dangerously close to the crook of his neck. Oliver struggled, shaking uncontrollably as Demetri whispered something into his ear, easily audible.

"_Phase and she dies." _

I felt myself pale, despite mom's comforting form. I turned towards the struggle and cried out. "_Daddy! Stop! They're going to hurt Oliver_!"

Jane was laughing at this point, her eyes gleaming at our impossible attempts. Daddy was sent hurling towards the wall, a crack rising from the impact. I could see Jane getting closer to Oliver, licking the bare pulse of his neck lightly, threateningly.

_Daddy, please!_ I begged.

It was instant. He looked at me and then at Oliver, anger impaling his features once more; in a flash he was by my side, wrapping his arms protectively around us. He glared at Aro and in a poisonous snarl said, "So that's it, then? Use the boy as bait? He shouldn't even be here, he didn't commit any crim—"

"But is necessary for the girls, and yours, cooperation, as you so eagerly just demonstrated," Aro interrupted. He bore an expression of pity, but I could easily guess through his lingering gaze just how eager and interested our case was to him. "Now," he continued, "if you would be so kind, Edward, Isabella, to release your daughter back into Felix's trusting care, I promise no—"

"Like hell I—" daddy began, gripping me tighter.

"—harm will come to either if you just cooperate," he continued, "don't forget, the trial is not till tomorrow and I would hate to indict the Cullen family any more than already necessary. You have seen your daughter, safe and unharmed as promised, now please release her."

I meekly stepped forward, knowing there was no other choice, but my parents' grips were no match for mine. I looked at them in surprise. Surely they knew…

"Daddy?" I spoke timidly, "Mom?"

Mom looked at me with anxious golden eyes, a quick glance in Oliver's direction, and back into mine. She hesitantly let me go, defeated. Daddy, however, remained unmoved.

"Edward," mom said softly, her eyes pleading with him. His mind seemed to be racing, fury exchanging places with fear, worry with hatred. Very reluctantly, his arms loosened around mine, his mouth hovering over my forehead with a kiss.

"I love you, Nessie, stay safe for me." He said, his eyes tortured.

"Stay strong sweetheart, I know you can," mom attempting smiling, embracing me once more before kissing me as well, "I love you."

I nodded, my voice gone and my tears falling once over. Before I could say anything Felix grabbed me and began hauling me back towards the doors, a smug smile on his disgusting face. I turned one last time as I reached the door, looking dejectedly but determinedly into my beautiful parents' faces.

_I love you both. _

* * *

*hides in an unknown neighbors basement* Yes, so horrible of me, I know. But there's good news too! In the next chapter we'll see both Edward's POV and Jake's POV. Let's just say that Oliver actually thought of something quite useful during this whole ordeal…hehehe. As for Jake, however…well, you may not like my latest angst event, so sorry, but…well, you'll see. I'd like to thank you all again for all the support, it's unbelievable, really, and I'm forever grateful :) Since I took forever on these last two updates I will make it a priority to update again soon, thanks everyone, love you all!


	64. Waiting

Hello everyone! Thank you so much for the reviews and all, they make me giggly and happy :) One review (Gabbyclark20) notified me of something I completely ignored, concerning Oliver's parents, and so I will briefly mention that here. Thanks Gabbyclark20! Another reader (Lus-In) suggested some Leah POV, so I went ahead and tried my hand at that as well…hope you like it hehe, thanks Lus-In! Oh and also, Jake's 'angst' moment, not too bad actually, just unfortunate for the poor guy, maybe even a little funny? I will not talk much now, simply read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's fabulous work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

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*******************************Jacob*******************************

"WHAT!"

"I'm so sorry sir, but there is nothing we can do. I'm going to have to ask you to please take a seat and have a bit of patience—"

"But I have a first class ticket! Shouldn't it be worth something?" I insisted, shoving the piece of paper into her annoying, grinning face. She smiled at me and sighed happily, as if repeating herself to a little kid with some kind of monster 'motherly' kindness.

I glared at her insolence.

"Sir, I—you know what, I have an idea! Let me get a manager." She said, almost excitedly.

"Fine!" I retorted back angrily. She swiftly—as fast as a human anyway—left her post behind the counter and rushed away, muttering seemingly to herself. Despite her little lively façade I caught every word, and almost made to show the blonde girl just how 'obnoxious' I could really be when a timid voice and a small tap on my shoulder caught my attention. I whirled around, my anger and frustration never leaving my face. The young boy took an uneasy step backwards as I faced him, glaring without end.

"Excuse me, s-sir," he stammered, "but we were hoping to get the attendants attention, our plane is about to leave in ten minutes and we…" his voice faltered to nothingness as I glowered down at him menacingly.

"N-never mind," he mumbled, practically fleeing from any peripherals of my sight. I sneered. _Stupid kid, doesn't he know how to wait his turn! It's called—_

"Patience, Jacob." Carlisle stood beside me suddenly. I almost agreed with him, wondering how he knew what I was going to say when I realized he was aiming the comment at me.

I glared at him too.

"Carlisle, this is ridiculous! Of all times for a plane to be delayed—"

"It's still faster than running," he reminded me, his hand settling gently on my shoulder. Esme was right behind him in a flash, too fast for human eyes to see.

"It'll be alright, Jacob, you'll see," she assured me, laying her small hand on my other shoulder.

_Well, this is an odd sight…people probably think I'm getting blessed or something with the way these two are holding me_…I let out a defeated sigh and followed them back towards the others. As soon as I sat down I couldn't help it; my face turned immediately into the meager comfort and protective space beneath the palms of my hands.

_Nessie, Nessie, I'm coming, I swear! I just—oh damn it all!_

"Jacob," Esme's voice interrupted my silent breakdown, "you did let Oliver's mother know the situation, right?"

I nodded slightly, a muffled 'Sam covered up for him, and Tom knows to keep quiet' before settling back into my broody shelter. I hadn't thought too much about the kid, to be honest, and now another sense of guilt came over me. Oliver was part of my pack, a little brother, so to speak, and now he was in the clutches of the freaking, almighty Volturi…Sam and I'd agreed it be best to lie to his parents, pretty similar to when Bella had gotten pregnant; strange illness, highly contagious, something along those lines. Tom was more than willing to vouch, at least for now anyway, there was no need to scare them with the reality of things; they didn't even know vampires and shape-shifters existed…Oliver was my responsibility too, and I wouldn't let our lies, our protection, die in vain. It was an honest lie, necessary: we'd find their son and bring him home before they had any more time to worry…at least that's what I kept telling myself.

"Relax," said another voice, somewhat forced but soft nonetheless. "I'm sure they're both fine, plus Edward and Bella are already there."

I couldn't help but smile into my hands, hidden beneath all this misery. Barbie and I, _Rosalie_, that is, had reached some sort of impossible if only temporary understanding, and as much as I disliked her, I couldn't help but appreciate her efforts.

_Wait till you see what kind of mayhem you're causing Ness_, I thought to myself_. Imagine that, Barbie and I, getting along…_

But the thought of _her_ only brought back my agony. _Stupid plane delay_…I wanted so much to jump up and rampage the entire airport, starting with the bubbly, blonde girl who'd insisted I have some _patience_.

I'd like to show her _where_ to put her patience…

"Jacob, calm down, you're shaking!" Alice hissed into my ear. I jumped in my seat with the abruptness and looked up briefly.

"S-sorry," I mumbled, but Alice had already caught my expression. It was torn between utter frustration and wretched concern. Edward's anxious panic attacks seemed completely suiting for a time like this, and I resisted the urge to get up and run, anywhere, so long as I was moving in _some_ kind of direction. Nessie needed me, and I'd promised her I'd save her. And now the inconveniences of human inability were making wayward that promise. What if I got there too late? Or what if I got there just barely too late…I would never forgive myself if anything happened to Nessie, or even Oliver for that matter. As selfish as it may be, Oliver was only second in my calculations; if anything happened to him…I'd hate myself for the rest of my life, yes, but if it were Nessie…I couldn't even think of what I'd do…

I hadn't noticed the tears running down my face and into my waiting hands, streaming down into an abyss of 'what ifs' and too many risks, and everything to lose.

**************************Leah************************************

_COMPLETELY AND RIDICULOUSLY STUPID!_

_Leah, dude, calm down—_

_I WILL NOT CALM DOWN! AND DON'T CALL ME DUDE!_

_But Leah, it's only a couple more hours—_

_SETH! _

_Ok, ok, I know, I was hurrying you up, and now it turns out we have to wait, but it's not like it's the Cullens fault that their plane got delayed—_

_Oh yeah, always protecting your precious little bloodsuckers, ugh!_

_The CULLENS Leah, Cullens!_

_Whatever!_

_You know what, fine! Wallow in your own bitterness, I'm going over to check on Adrian one more time, make sure he's ready for when we leave—_

_Oh yes, since leaving a thirteen year old newly phased wolf for evil rogue vampires is SO responsible!_

But my brother's thoughts were gone. I continued running, daring my energy to suddenly zap out of me. I knew there was no arguing, but flying all the way towards Italy? It just seemed a bit…too much. Surely, if Renesmee was innocent then there should be no problem, right?...But even as I thought it I remembered the evil bloodsuckers from that horrible day…_What's the matter with you, Leah? Grow a heart!_

I couldn't help but feel slightly guilty for being so offended towards Jacob's most recent command, but…things just never seemed fair. Not only was I still alone—_do girl werewolves even imprint?_—but now I was forcefully flying across the ocean into a bloodthirsty coven of wicked, and powerful vampires, and even though I hated the whole ordeal, there was a part of me, VERY small mind you, that actually _did_ want to help.

_You're losing your charm, Leah, _I though acidly_, pretty soon you'll be up in Alice's room, styling her latest wardrobe change…_

I sighed. It was so hard to dislike things, people, when you knew the truth behind those pretenses.

_No one ever said life was fair, sis._

_Seth, get out of my head._

_I'll let Alice know you're a size five—_

_Seth…_

—_and that you prefer cream colored blouses, they match your skin tone—_

_Seth…_

_What size bra do you wear? Like an A or something? I bet Alice could do something about that, make you more popular with the guys—_

_SETH!_

_What? You said—_

_I can smell you so you're close by. You have five seconds to shut up or else I'm going to show you just how 'popular' I can make myself once I pulverize you!_

Nothing.

I rolled my eyes, Seth was just too easy sometimes…

_I am not!_

_SETH!_

_Sam! She's going to kill me!_

_Stop fighting! Both of you, we have more important-_

_Crap, how long have you been phased?_

_Don't worry Leah, I just heard something about a bra size, no big—_

_SETH YOU'RE DEAD!_

_Thanks a lot Sam—ahh! Leah, stop!_

It was no use, I already had him. _Sorry, bro, but no one ever said life was fair…_

*****************************Edward*********************************

I remained standing whilst Bella sat lightly on the edge of the bed, her face patient but close to breaking with the words I obviously wanted to say. I was still trying to make sense of it myself.

Finally, my wife's frustration reached its limit. "Oh for heaven's sake, Edward, tell me what you saw!"

I turned towards her, my brow still creased in thought, before going over and settling beside her. "Well, for one thing, I definitely like Oliver much more now." I said.

Bella tilted her head. "What? Why—"

"He ran over a very interesting conversation in his head almost the entire time that he was there," I explained, "knowing I'd hear every thought. Brilliant tactic, I'm just surprised he'd even thought of it, and ever grateful he did."

Bella nodded in understanding. "What was he thinking about then?"

I paused, unsure of how best to phrase it. "Jeanine," I finally said.

Her reaction was immediate, a deep growl and an impossible glance at her scarred shoulder, the painful memory still very explicit. I sighed before continuing. "She may not be as bad as we thought."

Her narrowed eyes aimed caution, suspicion. "Oliver was recalling a conversation she had with them, a story more like. Bella, if what she told them is true—"

"It still doesn't change anything," Bella suddenly cut in, her eyes almost glowing with anger, "I may not know the whole story but I do know she was one of the main components to the entire ordeal."

I looked at her with wide eyes, my usual patient and understanding wife: practically foaming at the mouth. For a very brief second I wanted to laugh at this sudden switch of roles, but it quickly passed with a curt 'Edward.'

I looked into her eyes with understanding and took her hands into my own. "Bella, love, let me explain."

And I told her everything I'd heard. Jeanine's interesting Quileute roots, the day she met Jane, her turning, the killing of her younger brother, the empty promise for her mother's life, the lingering threat of her father and sister, and Jane's orders. There were quite a few holes in the story and I could only assume it was due to Oliver's hasty rethinking, and so I filled them in with what I could only guess made sense, if not just leaving them out completely. One thing that was still somewhat confusing though—

"So, wait a minute, how did Marcus know she might possess a gift again?" Bella asked, her anger somewhat dissipated.

"Well," I began—this was one of the holes—"from what I gather, when Jeanine escaped the first time, that is, thanks to the unexpected wolf, Marcus happened to be near by—"

"But why would Marcus have been there in the first place?"

I paused, going over what little Oliver had given me to work with. "All Oliver thought was something about Caius wanting to rid the place of potential werewolves, so I'm assuming all three were present, as well as a few select guard members." Bella nodded, motioning for me to continue.

"As I was saying, Marcus was nearby and though he could smell Jeanine's blood, didn't feel anything otherwise unusual. You remember what his gift is?"

She nodded. "Yes, empathetic to relationships."

"Precisely. So you can imagine his curiosity when suddenly the human scent moved farther away and the brother-sister relationship jumped out at him instantly. He assumed she may be—"

"A possible shield," Bella finished.

"Yes, and so he gave the order to change her."

"But," Bella interjected, "if she'd been one with the wolf gene she could've died!"

I almost rolled my eyes at her, chuckling slightly with a bitter bend. "That's a risk the Volturi are more than willing to take, my love," I answered. "In the end, Marcus' hypothesis was correct: Jeanine had a very useful shield indeed."

"Which is…?"

"She can make hybrid zones, an illusion of course, but effective towards certain gifts. In other words, if she were to place her shield onto you and I, for example, Alice would not be able to see us. Marcus falls into this category of susceptible gifts, in his case, he wouldn't be able to identify what type of relationship we have. She would be creating the illusion that we are hybrids."

"But—what then…" Bella faltered, trying to make sense of what I'd just told her. I didn't blame her, the story, was to some extent, perplexing.

"Another interesting phenomenon," I continued, "is that whilst Jeanine's shield was able to block out Marcus, why then couldn't her brother, an actual hybrid?"

"You mean when she escaped?" Bella asked, befuddled.

"Oliver didn't give anything about that," I responded, "but, considering Jeanine's 'uniqueness', her smell, for instance—mind you, I wasn't able to get too close to her but I did pick up a slightly different smell compared to most vampires—I think her brothers' pack was unique in their own way."

"How so?"

"I can only guess that their abilities weren't as strong or maintained as Jacob's pack, perhaps even faulty to the point where they aren't immune to gifts like Alice and Marcus. And if that is the case, which we will never really know, then it could stem from several possible reasons. Perhaps it's the fact that they aren't directly linked to the Quileute race, or maybe the lack of vampires in their area, I really don't know."

Bella, looking more confused than angry by this point, pursed her lips. "Well, that's…weird."

Indeed…" I pondered, applying what we now sort of knew to our situation. Bella was way ahead of me though.

"So, that's why Alice hasn't been able to see anything, and if her scent was really that different, possibly even invisible to our wolves, then it would have been impossible to pick up, which is how she might have made trips to Forks unnoticed, assuming it was her scouting out Nessie in the first place…" her mind was reeling, her golden eyes flickering back and forth as if in frustration. She suddenly turned to me.

"Wait, you said she was under Jane's orders?"

"Yes, at least directly." I answered slowly, knowing already what her next question, her next realization, was going to be.

"So then Aro—"

"Had nothing to do with any of it." I finished, looking at her meaningfully. "I searched his thoughts, and even if he was trying to hide anything, it was too innocent to do so. I'm sure you know the situation is definitely something he's happy about, considering our family, but he has no recollection whatsoever of anything Jane may have planned."

"What about Jane's thoughts?" Bella asked.

"That's the strange thing, with the little information Jane gave, she made it quite clear what her role in all this was: send Jeanine to scout out Renesmee Cullen, just to make sure she remained as harmless as we presented her to be two years ago. From there, I only caught a glimpse of her and Alec's sudden decision to quit the Volturi, and their 'fortunate' encounter with Nessie's murder. So even if she were thinking very carefully, you can easily see how the whole thing can come off as innocent, at least on their part. All she has to do is avoid making contact with Aro, which I'm sure he would gladly oblige to considering the high stakes Nessie would mean on our family."

Bella's eyes were starting to widen as she took in my latest information, and I could see we were both arriving at the same conclusion.

"But, Edward," she began, her voice breaking, "if we can't put it on Aro, or Jane and Alec, or Jeanine, then…" she faltered, complete fear taking over her pale face.

"Then there's a big possibility there's no way we can prove Nessie's innocence." I finished.

* * *

**Slightly Long Author's Note**

Ok, once again, not too exciting, but some good stuff. What did you all think of Leah's POV? I actually didn't plan for it, but once I put in her first line, the rest just kind of flowed lol. If anyone has any POV suggestions, I would be glad to consider putting them in, given, of course, that it's appropriate and doesn't disrupt the flow of the story. The main point of this chapter was to sort of fill you in on more details concerning the whole 'plan' ordeal, seen through Edward's POV. Basically, Jane was ordered to send out a scout to check on Renesmee, just to make sure she was growing up 'safe'—in other words, no harm to the vampire world—so there's nothing wrong with that, right? Well, along comes Jeanine with her useful little gift and unique scent (of course remember that Jane also thought Jeanine repelled 'scent' but it turned out to be that Gianna did that…PM me if you don't get that point); and since Jane pretty much has control over her, she sends Jeanine. Thus the plan unfurls: Jeanine thinks Oliver is Nessie's imprint, reports to Jane, Jane (and when I say Jane, I'm implying that Alec just kind of agrees with her) uses it to her advantage and eventually 'quits' the Volturi, making herself seem innocent, in a way (remember, Aro was furious, which reminds us that Caius kind of knew…he is actually the one that calmed Aro down, but I will get to that in a later chapter). Just because Jane is gone, however, doesn't mean Jeanine's little 'surveillance' is going to stop, so she keeps going, still letting Jane know for fear for her remaining family. Jane and Alec, on the pretense of wanting to get back into the Volturi, happen to coincidentally be in the Forks area when all hell breaks loose, capturing Renesmee in the act of killing one the Volturi guard members, Gianna. Does that make sense?...Somewhat confusing, yes, but bottom line, Nessie is looking more and more guilty because Jane's actions have all been 'innocent' in a way. Lol, of course there is also the question of who ordered Jane, right? No surprise there, I'm sure you've already guessed who by now (and that person is going to be playing another role later too). Ok, well, I've talked for too long lol, please review and let me know what you think! I'm open to questions concerning any confusion, and I would definitely like to know also what you thought of Leah's little argument hehe. Coming up next is the beginning of Nessie's trial, so that should be exciting no? Review! I love you all, thanks :)


	65. Questions

Hello everyone, I'd like to thank you all for the reviews and much appreciated support and enthusiasm, unbelievably amazing. A couple readers were confused with what's going on; if you happen to be on the same boat, please don't hesitate to ask me (in a review or PM). I will gladly clarify any misunderstandings/confusion to the best of my capabilities…because it was only a couple so far, I won't go back and rewrite any of the recent chapters, so if you're confused, now's the time to let me know! Lol, on another note, the trial is coming up—continuing next several chapters—and then the 'fun' will begin all over again hehe. And for the many, many of you that are desperate for Jake/Nessie's reunion, bear with me ;-) Thanks.

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's genius work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

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****************************Nessie************************************

Morning.

I could hear Oliver's stomach growling uncontrollably despite the 'food' they'd given us last night. Jeanine's rations had been much better, by far—last night consisted of a 'salad' for us to share. I could've sworn Felix was laughing at us as if it were some kind of cruel joke when he'd presented us with our dinner. No one had come yet and so I assumed that would be it until…well, until after the trial…

Food was the last thing on my mind, really, but at this point, anything would serve as a distraction for what was to come.

"What a lovely morning to be convicted!" Felix exclaimed, throwing open the door with inflated enthusiasm. Demetri was silent as he approached Oliver with a pair of handcuffs, Felix following suit in my direction. I knew even before the cuffs were in place that breaking them was unmentionable; _regular_ cuffs would be too easy to break off. These were tight and secure, made of an impenetrable metal: vampire proof.

I shot a wary glance at Oliver, a similar expression on his defeated face.

"Come along, then," Demetri spoke, grabbing hold of my friends arm. I felt Felix's iron hands around me and we hastily left the room and down the sinister hallway. Despite the discomfort of the cuffs, my thoughts were reeling. I couldn't possibly be convicted, could I? What would happen to me? What would happen to Oliver?

The latter made my heart ache, Jeanine's tragic story immediately jumping to mind. Whatever they had planned for me, I would take it, anything so long as no one else I loved came to be hurt.

We entered a different set of doors, these much larger, and I was momentarily blinded by the brilliance of light that hit our faces. The room was huge, a rectangular space with ceiling windows, elegant décor, and set up to resemble a sort of court room. I immediately recognized Aro, sitting higher than the other two leaders at the farther end of the room. A small group of vampires hovered close to the royal trinity, bodyguards perhaps. Jane, Jeanine, and Alec sat towards the front, slightly diagonal towards the rest of the room, an identical bench straight across. And finally, seated closer to the entrance, farther from where Oliver and I were undoubtedly being led to—

"Nessie!" mom called out, rising immediately to her feet as she made to move to my side. Daddy was already standing.

Another voice spoke at the same time. "Jeanine," Jane ordered, and much to my disappointment—

"I'm sorry, but the charged is not to be approached or contacted at this moment," she said robotically, blocking my mother from taking any step further. For a second, the entire room froze, watching my furious mother's fists ball up and teeth bare. Jeanine remained stoic, unchanged with the glowering eyes before her, completely ignoring daddy as well. Then—

"Bella, she'll be fine," daddy's quiet voice soothed, his eyes still the incredible hole of angst I'd never learn to forget. He wrapped his arms protectively around mom and lightly, but forcefully, pulled her away and back into her seat, completely avoiding any eye contact with Jeanine. I had the slightest inclination that maybe, just maybe, Jeanine was conveying some kind of message to him…

It could only be a good thing, right?

Felix suddenly shoved me forward, moving me towards the front of the room across Jane, Alec and Jeanine. I shot a nervous glance at my parents, grimacing with the fury raging in both their eyes, daddy eyeing Felix with an abrupt intense ire. He sat me onto the bench and suddenly I understood daddy's increased anger.

"Relax, _daddy_," Felix smirked, as he settled closer to me, his thick legs on either side of my own as he straddled me from behind and held me securely into his chest. I turned slightly towards Oliver; Demetri had him in a similar 'embrace' but nothing as close or inappropriate as Felix had me. It was more than uncomfortable, terrifying even, as his legs tightened their squeeze around my body.

"We can't have your pretty little wifey shielding any of our little prisoners. This is just a precaution—"he continued.

But daddy was already on his feet, his eyes bulging and his nostrils flaring dangerously.

"You get your disgusting body the hell away from my daughter," he ordered, no hesitance in the soft but lethal tone of his voice. I hadn't realized the tears streaming down my face; I'd never in my life been sexually harassed but this definitely felt like something along those lines. Abruptly, the taste of blood came to lips as I unknowingly bit into them; I was trembling.

"Come now, Edward, I mean her no—" Felix rolled his eyes, nuzzling 'affectionately' into my hair. I let out a whimper.

"ARO!" daddy yelled. Beside him mom stood up again, eyes blazing. Aro, who'd been watching the scene with mild interest, seemed to perk up, and simply smiled in my direction.

"Felix," he said, a polite tone, "perhaps standing would be more appropriate, yes? No need to unsettle our guests with any further implications."

Behind me Felix shifted once more before nodding and easing himself away from me, slowly. He settled for holding me upright, his hands wrapped securely around my elbows. Daddy slowly sat back down, his glare burning a hole into Felix's disgusting face. Mom only shot fire with her eyes as she took her place again.

"Alright then, now that we are all comfortable," Aro said, smiling tauntingly with the last word, "I'll need to ask Isabella to refrain from shielding any of the charged-"

Mom growled. "Why? So SHE can torture my daughter to her liking!" She motioned towards Jane;Jane smiled back in mock hurt.

Aro let out a musical laugh. "No, of course not my dear. This is only in case any further investigation is required," he said, gesturing to himself. Mom stiffly nodded, her eyes glaring with the additional silent order. Aro smiled again, "Let's begin, shall we?"

He made his way down three steps and stood before me, his voice a soft lilt amidst the ever vivid tension billowing throughout the large room. "Renesmee Cullen, you are charged here today with the murder of guard member, Gianna Mendez. We, that is myself and the elder leaders, will consult on your innocence once we are through here," he paused, a small smile playing amusedly on his lips, "I would like to notify you that, unlike human trials, this one will be quick and to the point. No lawyers, or bibles, or juries, or any such nonsense. When asked a question, you will respond, and if you have more to add on any one else's statements, you will address not the witness but the one asking the questions. Do I make myself clear, Miss Cullen?"

I nodded my head, shakily but determined to keep my head high. He only smiled pleasantly in return. "Ah, very good. Same goes for you all," he continued, turning towards the bench opposite us, "is that understood?"

"Yes master," Jane, Alec, and Jeanine chorused. It was disgusting…though as she looked up, I noticed the complete lack of emotion in Jeanine's dark face, an outrageous perpendicular to the adoring faces of Jane and Alec.

Aro nodded, smiled once more, and turned back towards his seat. "Caius, the floor is yours."

The light haired vampire stood up slowly, a small but almost unnoticeable smile playing on his lips. He glided down and brought his hands forward as he approached me, an odd but glimmering light in his red eyes.

"Renesmee Cullen, first of all, do you admit to committing said charge today, that is, killing Gianna Mendez?" he asked, a resonant but quiet voice.

I hesitated, trying to choose my words carefully. Despite my actions I had a feeling things were already against my favor. "In self-defense sir—"

"Yes or no Miss Cullen," he briefly cut in. I narrowed my eyes in response before feeling an added pressure against the skin Felix held firmly. Wincing only slightly, I raised my chin and answered.

"Yes."

"And who, Miss Cullen, attacked first, you or Gianna?"

"Well she was fighting—"

"You or her?" he cut in again. I felt my nostrils flare as I responded again, biting into each word.

"I did."

"Really? Did Gianna provoke you in any way, that is to say, your person, with any kind of physical or verbal gesture, I believe you might even call it bullying?"

"Well, no not to me exactly but—"

"Yes or no only, this is the third time I must remind you of satisfactory answers. Do not try my patience, Miss Cullen."

"But I—"

"You'll have your chance to better explain when all the evidence has been reported." He cut in once again. I was fuming by this point; how was I ever going to prove myself innocent if they kept asking these one-sided questions! It wasn't fair at all, it—

"So, let's see, you admit to attacking her first, quite interesting. And why, Miss Cullen did you so willingly attack her?"

_Finally! A question in my favor!_

"She was attacking my friend, Oliver, almost to the brink of death." I stated triumphantly. Much to my surprise, however, Caius only sneered at me.

"Your little friend? You are referring, of course to the boy beside you, yes?"

Despite my gathered confidence, I frowned. "Yes…"

"And he is a shape-shifter, correct? One of the wolves from La Push?"

I didn't like the expression on his face, it was too content…"Yes."

"And it is common knowledge, is it not, that these shape-shifters hold a deep grudge against our kind, that is, vampires, yes?"

"Yes but she came—"

"I'm going to let that one slip, another reminder, Miss Cullen, answer only what I'm asking, really, I thought you more intelligent than this," he waved his hand impatiently. I felt my shoulders heaving slightly with the indescribable hatred and annoyance I was feeling for the loathsome vampire before me.

"So we've established the reason behind your attacking Miss Gianna in the first place. Did it ever occur to you, Miss Cullen, that, given these hostile creatures' background, Gianna was merely defending herself from its wrath?"

I felt my eyes widen and my mouth drop in astonishment. "But she attacked him first!"

"Did she really? Hmm, well considering she is no longer here, let me turn, briefly, to the _creature_ itself—"

I was getting angrier and angrier with every idiotic word that came out of his mouth. _A creature? Oliver was no creature! The thing in front of me now, however, I doubt even 'creature' overstated what it was!_

"You," he said, his voice stealing into a darker, fiercer voice, "did Gianna indeed attack you first?"

Oliver, heart racing and sweat building, hardened his dark eyes and answered. "Yes."

"And, you're quite sure about this? There is no need for lies, one touch and Aro will know the truth. This is our mere attempt to allow our _dear_ Cullens a fair trial, you see. So let me try this again: did Gianna, in fact, attack head on?"

Oliver blinked, unnerved somewhat with Caius' threatening words, but responded nonetheless. "Yes, well, I heard my brother yell so I jumped up and she tackled me down until—"

"So then you did attack her first?" Caius pressed.

Oliver looked confused. "What? Wait, no, that's not what I said—"

"But you just admitted that you jumped up towards her, did you not? Tell me, if I were to punch you what would your retaliation be?"

Another perplexed blink. "I—huh?"

Caius sighed audibly, rubbing his temple in annoyance. "Block me, yes?"

Oliver simply nodded. Caius grinned. "So then, wouldn't it be justified to say, on Gianna's part at least, that you jumping towards her like you did, merited some form of defense?"

"But Tom yell—"

"Bottom line, dog, you initiated her fighting at all, jumping directly at her. Miss Cullen," he continued, turning back towards me, "when he jumped up, tell me, was he phased into his wolf form?"

I felt my throat tightening, the cave incident jumping clearly to mind. I glanced at Oliver through wet eyes, knowing already how bad things were looking. "Well, yes but—"

"Yes? Hmmm, that is interesting, isn't it? So let us recap. You claim you fought Gianna on the pretense of defending your little friend, who it turns out not only started the fight, but went at it in full force, in his wolf form. Oliver," he turned back towards him, "what does your pack specialize in? That is, what is the main reason you phase into a slobbering beast?"

Oliver's expression was pained. "Well, to kill vampires but my brother—"

"To kill vampires! And there you have it, a confession of motive! So—"

"BUT YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!" Oliver suddenly bellowed, his face reddening with anger. "SHE HAD MY BROTHER, THEY ALL DID, THE BLOODSUCKERS!"

"Silence!" Caius bellowed, his red eyes crimson coals in a face of white. He leered at Oliver, edging his face closer to him as he continued his ridiculous investigation.

"So you say they had your brother, hmmm? Alright, let us analyze that. How is it you know they had him in the first place?"

"Because Renesmee and I heard him yell, and he was nowhere to be seen so—"

"You said 'heard' so that implies you did not actually see what your precious brother was actually getting himself into. Perhaps he was trying his hand at what it is you creatures do best, kill vampires, in which case we are led back to the same conclusion: ill will towards a single vampire, her demise brought about, yet, by one of her own kind—well, half of it anyway."

It was me who spoke up this time, a much different tone, however. "You can ask Tom though, he'll tell you! He was attacked first, so really—"

"No, that is unnecessary, I trust Jeanine will fill in that little mystery for us in a bit," he interrupted instantly, flashing a smug smile in my direction.

My heart was beating hard and fast, and I chanced a glance in my parents' direction, surprised they'd held their actions this long. Their expressions bore those of helpless pain and concern, uncontrollable anger. Felix swiftly turned me back around so that I was mere inches away from Caius' malicious face.

"Miss Cullen, I was just saying," he spoke carefully, "that thus far we are decided that your actions concerning the protection of your friend are unjustified, given a combination of his, er, pedigree, and violent manner towards our kind. You committed the murder, however, and so it almost seems you were aiding them in their little vampire extinction quest—"

"But you're leading everyth—"

"That is quite enough," he snapped at me, "you're either really forgetful or stupid, how many times must I remind you not to interrupt me and speak only when spoken to?"

I heard a rustle in the background and an audible snarl. _Daddy, please calm down_, I pleaded.

"That is all I have for you," he finished, turning tail and making his way to the opposite side of the wall, "remember, once all the evidence is in you may speak any explanation you find helpful."

_Oh I was definitely going to be talking!_

He approached the opposing bench and spoke. "Jeanine," he said softly, almost inaudibly, "I'm so sorry, dear, that you're caught up in the middle of all this, but you are a witness, after all. Tell me, what was Gianna to you?"

Jeanine looked startled by the question, and I stared at her with pleading eyes. "She was…a friend, of sorts," was her reply. Caius nodded, a pretentious gesture of sympathy.

"A friend? How tragic, horrible for you. So sorry for your more personal loss. As for yourself, though, Jeanine, what would you say your role is here in the Volturi?"

I felt my mouth drop slightly, as his words, the unspoken whispers between every vocal sound, suddenly jumped out at me: a reminder of what she had to lose should she not cooperate. My pulse quickened and I prayed for justice, for Jeanine to answer—somehow!—as ambivalently as she could, an answer that would secure her remaining family and our fate.

Jeanine stayed silent for a moment, her crimson eyes boring strangely into Caius intense gaze, focused yet almost confused, as if having to choose between two very right answers. Her gaze shifted briskly, meeting mine for the quickest of seconds, a look I deciphered without mistake, with increased dread and a falling heart.

"I am Jeanine, no one else, servant and faithful member of the Volturi guard, sworn to serve and live towards the better of our much respected and superior vampire race." She said.

A part of me died, my heart failing for the quickest yet longest of seconds, as the real trepidation began. This was not going to be good…

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Alas, part one of the trial. Poor Nessie! Let me remind that in the books, SM defines the Voltuir to address these kind of issues quickly, however, I'm pretending that—given their previous 'misunderstanding' in Breaking Dawn with Renesmee—they are somewhat allowing this trial at all to give the Cullens (Renesmee) the benefit of the doubt. As you can see, however, even so things are not looking fair. What will Jeanine say? Where are the rest of the Cullens? Jake? The pack?...more to come, please review! Thanks.


	66. Verdict

I'm going to be doing my best to keep ahead of updates, that is write, write, write! However, I will limit the updates to no more than three times a week. Thanks so much for all the support and beautiful reviews! Here's the next chapter, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

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****************************Jeanine************************************

Caius stood expressionless before me, unspoken threats shadowing each word, each flicker of the eye, each purposeful step, exposure to everything at stake.

"And what, Jeanine, were you doing in Forks that fateful day anyway?" he asked me, his usual disdainful eyes betraying his façade slightly, too much fire, too eager.

I took a small unnecessary breath. I knew what I had to say, or at least what half-truths I need answer, and as much as I hated doing so…I had my family to think about. "Scouting Renesmee Cullen, in addition to her two canine friends, as Jane ordered, master."

"Was this your first visit to Forks?"

"No, master."

"And why were you told to scout her in the first place?"

Without thinking I frowned, answering against my will. "To make sure she continued what deems harmless, a follow-up, so to speak."

Caius' mouth tilted fractionally upwards, a hint of a sneer. "You mentioned also watching her two dogs, why did you do that?"

"During my routine visits to Forks," I said, masking my face as best as I could, "I happened to come across an interesting occurrence regarding the two boys—"

"No need to be civil with their kind, _dear_," Caius suddenly interrupted, an edge of irritation in his tone, "they are dogs, canines for a more sophisticated term."

I felt my eyes widen significantly, the anger boiling up inside me with his complete disregard for humanity. How could someone be so cruel? His smirk only widened, however, and so I was forced to nod in response. "Yes, of course, master. Well, on one of my first trips, I happened to come across a migrant vampire. He was merely passing by, so I made no notion of approaching him, however," I paused recalling the memory, "I did witness an interesting sight."

"And what would that be?"

I recoiled into myself ashamedly, retelling the memory as if it were yesterday…

"_It was sometime early spring, one of my first visits to Forks. I remember coming across a nomad vampire, though he was too far to see me. Being a newborn, I sought him out easily. Just as I made to approach him, however, another pair caught my eyes: two young boys, playing in the forest, alone. For some strange reason, I felt compelled to get closer, perhaps it was thirst, I don't know, but suddenly they changed. It was as if a powerful heat had erupted from the inner part of their core, and I realized what they were: shape-shifters. _

_Judging from their confused states, even as wolves, I immediately understood that this was their first time. I also knew, given my unique smell and shield, that I wasn't the source of their transformation. Looking a ways, I noticed the nomad vampire had already begun to flee. The pair of wolves, however, fled the other way, and again, I felt the strongest urge to follow them, so I did. They led me to a sort of underground cave, hidden proficiently well. I followed them down, making sure to keep my distance and stay hidden. At this point, I was under the assumption that my veiled scent was due to my shield, but that's another point. They didn't feel my presence whatsoever._

_They phased back into children, awed and scared but grateful to be out of public sight. It suddenly dawned on me that the rest of the pack might be down soon—I'd gathered little information about them by this point—given their thought-sharing abilities, and so I made to find another way out when—_

"_T-tom! W-what j-just happened?"_

_Tom shook his head, his body still trembling from the shock. "I-I don't know…I could've sworn I heard voices but now they're gone."_

_I only caught this small portion of their aftermath. As much as curiosity held on, I could not risk getting attacked. I left, the interesting observation still vivid in mind. These wolves were different than the rest."_

"I knew my assignment was to watch over Renesmee, but until then, just to be safe, I maintained a close eye on these two as well. In addition to their uniqueness, they also grew slower. I reported my findings to Jane, and she agreed I monitor them as well."

"So, what you're saying is, they were a possible risk against us?"

I nodded, causing a low hiss from Jane's direction. "Well, no, not exactly, just that I made sure to keep an eye on them just in case."

Caius observed me with a slight frown. "I see…tell me, Jeanine, what happened next?"

"Renesmee Cullen began attending school with the two wolves and they quickly became friends. This was an advantage for me, granted, I never did get too close to the wolves for fear of being found out."

"Yes, yes, this all makes sense so far. Tell me now, Jeanine, on that fateful day, did you or did you not witness the murder of your friend, Gianna Mendez?"

His eyes locked onto mine. "Yes."

"And who, I ask, killed her?"

"Renesmee Cullen."

"I will ask you the same question I asked her: who attacked first?"

"Renesmee Cullen."

"The mutt tells me he was simply inquiring about his brother. Did you happen to see Gianna attacking another dog?"

I forced down a lump in my throat, avoiding the piercing eyes of Renesmee's parents. "She was fighting him, yes, but only briefly—"

"Jeanine." He warned.

"I can't say who attacked first, I was down by the shore when they came tumbling out from the ledge, Jane beside me—"

"So then we can't be sure Gianna even started any of this, can we? Interesting. Jane," he averted his gaze to the girl beside me. I lowered my own head in shame, disgusted with myself for handing over exactly what the deranged man wanted.

"Yes, master?" she asked sweetly, a crazed light of adoration in her petite face.

"Tell me, dear, what were you and your brother doing in Forks said day?"

"Well, master," she began, in as delicate a voice as she could feign, "as the Volturi leaders are aware, Alec and I made the choice of quitting the guard not too long ago. The wrong choice, master, and I wish to let you know how terribly sorry we are before I go on—"

"We all make mistakes my dear," Aro suddenly interrupted from his seat, "and you have always been a comfort to me. Please continue."

Jane bowed her head slightly. "Yes, master. As I said, we made the worst mistake. Only after travelling throughout the states for a bit did we realize it. In hopes of making amends, and possibly earning our way back into this grand family, we set out for Forks."

"Why Forks, Jane, dear?"

"Because it was the last assignment I was given command over. I continued to keep in touch with Jeanine, considering how _close_," here she offered me a brilliant smile, one I hesitantly returned with much less fervor, "we'd become whilst she was under my orders. She informed me of Gianna's accompaniment and Alec and I thought it'd be right of us to offer Jeanine some kind of back-up should Gianna attempt to attack anyone without reason, considering her newborn status. We were simply there to support a former fellow guard member, able to stop her if necessary. As we are all aware, the Cullen family is not a coven to take lightly, nor their territory, given their influence and prestige above many other clans. We were merely trying to maintain the peace."

"So not only did you risk your lives with the surrounding wolves in the area, but you considered maintaining the good relationship between the Cullens and the Volturi, who at the time you weren't even a part of anymore, is that correct?"

"Yes, master," Jane practically gushed, "and also to help out a fellow _friend_, right Jeanine?"

I almost narrowed my eyes at her, words unable to answer such mendacity.

"How very _noble_ of you two, I'm sure, given the circumstances and now absence of a guard member, that reinstatement will definitely be worth reconsidering, what do you think, Aro?"

Aro's expression was still one of mild interest. "Oh absolutely, my dear brother, but there will be time for other matters later. Please proceed."

Caius' smirk faltered faintly, the sour expression overwhelming the brief second with Aro's flippant response. He regained composure quickly, however, returning his stony face towards Alec.

"Alec, my dear boy, where did you happen to be throughout this terrible ordeal?" he asked. Alec gave him a warming smile.

"I was up top, master, keeping guard for any possible trouble. I only went under every several minutes or so, to check up on my sister should Gianna make any mistakes."

"How is it, then, that you came to bring about a helicopter so quickly?" he asked, feigned accusation in his voice. Alec was more than ready, however.

"Simple, master. Jane and I are _always_ ready for anything. The helicopter was already reserved should the minute chance arrive of its necessity. As soon as Renesmee Cullen attacked Gianna, Jane informed me of a possible hasty escape. We did consider jumping in to aid our former fellow guard member, but she seemed to be winning, at least till the very end. The details, of course, I did not see for I was already on my quick way to Seattle."

"Yes, I understand. Back to you Jeanine," he spoke, gliding over to hover over me even closer. "It seems neither of our other witnesses saw Gianna initiating any kind of fight, do you agree?"

"Yes, but—"

"And we have established the nature of these canine beasts, have we not? To destroy vampires, yes?"

"Yes, but master—"

"So doesn't it not make more sense to assume Gianna was but a mere victim from the beginning?"

I glared at him. _Oh, she'd been a victim all right…_

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear your response, dear?"

Edward and Isabella Cullen stared as if through me, their golden eyes daring, pleading, for their only daughter. Renesmee's warm, brown simply begged, begged for any compassion and humanity I had left in my soulless body.

"I…I have no further comment…master." I could feel his eyes blazing into mine, Jane's mind screaming the many obscenities and tortures I was likely to suffer soon, but…I couldn't possibly say otherwise.

Caius abruptly stepped away from me, smirking nonetheless. "Fine. Fortunately there is no further evidence required."

I looked away from the many pair of eyes, escaping into my own tormenting conscious for the words I knew were to come.

"Fellow Volturi leaders, and dear brothers, I approach you now with a final report of events. That is, of course, unless Miss Cullen has any explanations she'd like to add?"

All heads turned towards Renesmee, and despite the ever mounting tension, the small girl's eyes blared defiantly, unwavering brilliantly.

******************************Nessie***********************************

I knew now was my only chance. As grateful as I was towards Jeanine's attempts of helping, I knew the odds were still stacked ridiculously high against me. I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders and glared back at the wicked prosecutor sneering back at me.

"I just want to add that I didn't _purposefully_ kill Gianna Mendez. Oliver happens to be my best friend, a loved one as much as family, and I was simply defending him, as a brother—"

"Brother?" Caius cut in, a disgusted snarl erupting from his throat. "I meant to avoid any further implications, Miss Cullen, but it was also brought to my attention that you and this _thing_ feel much more than that of mere siblings. Marcus can vouch if need—"

"No!" I interrupted, feeling my face heat up instantly. I didn't need to look at Oliver to know he was just as humiliated. "I mean, t-that's not the point, the point is—"

"That you killed in his defense, correct?"

I blinked, unsure of whether it was another trap. "Y-yes—"

"And so you imply that killing Gianna was justified?"

"I—wait, no I—"

"Really? Did it ever occur to you to simply _maim_ Gianna? Hmmm? I think not, it sounds like you went directly for the kill, which makes you a killer, Renesmee Cullen—"

"But she would've—I never meant—"

I couldn't think, my pulse quickened and I searched for words, eyeing my parents in panic. Daddy suddenly stood up.

"Caius, with all the confusion, surely you can't expect a _child_ to have done otherwise—"

"Mr. Cullen, please sit down or you will only worsen the circumstances for your delinquent daughter."

Daddy growled, his throat visibly tightening, but sat down. Beside him mom squeezed his hand in reassurance, her eyes swimming in agony over their helplessness.

"Now, Miss Cullen, you must remember that despite all the evidence or lack of, as you may be trying to convince yourself of, the bottom line is this: you killed Gianna Mendez, a murder based on saving not even a human life, but a shapeshifter! Our natural enemies, so to speak, and hence not even rationally worthy of saving—"

"So you're saying I should have just let my friends die!" I suddenly roared, lunging forward slightly out of Felix's grip. He pulled me in firmer, tighter and closer to himself. I didn't care though, I was too mad.

"I think that is all we need to know. Aro, Marcus, shall we consult with each other?" Caius was saying. He made his way back up and the three began uttering in almost silent whispers. I continued struggling uselessly against Felix's hold, my careful control completely gone.

"THIS IS UNFAIR! JUST BECAUSE THE WOLVES AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU? THEY WOULD'VE DIED! TOM AND OLIVER! YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY—"

And then everything went blank.

***********************Edward*************************************

I couldn't do it, sit here any longer whilst the fate of my little girl, my Nessie, rest in the hands of these ignorant fools. I immediately moved towards the front when she started screaming, her heartfelt cries piercing stabs into every part of my stone skin, the tears driving madly down her sweet face. And thus far, the royal trinity was aiming for the worst…suddenly Nessie's mind went blank.

I made up my mind.

In a flash I was on top of Alec, my teeth sunk deep into his shoulder. For a quick second no one moved, Alec's wide eyes in shock, his small form about to be crushed beneath my lethal hands, one quick swipe and that would be it, on to the next piece of vile, but then—

"Edward, please, can't you see we're trying to be civil here?" Aro asked, an air of disappointment in his voice. Felix held me tightly, and I quickly glanced towards Nessie, no longer under Alec's spell but now held by another guard, one I didn't recognize.

"Civil?" I spat out, "You call this _civil_! Renesmee was in all her right to do what she did, and you know it, I can see that you do!"

Aro smiled knowingly at me. "I do admit that she may have acted _morally_, yes, but Caius is right, she could have simply _injured_ Gianna, and so the fact that she murdered a former Volturi guard member, which is quite a crime, let me remind you, remains unchanged."

I growled, hearing the decision before they even spoke it aloud. I felt Felix's arms circle my elbows the way they'd done Nessie's as Jane suddenly took a piqued interest in me, edging closer to Aro with a broad smile. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bella rise and move closer, careful to avoid confrontation but enraged.

"So that's it then?" I bit, "That's your _modified_ punishment for my two year old daughter!"

Aro frowned. "Two? I was under the impression she'd be closer to fifteen by now, judging by her appear—"

"DOES IT FUCKING MATTER!" I raged, pulling and failing to get out of Felix's firm grasp.

"Edward! Please, calm down, let me address everyone, yes? This silent conversation is unnerving the rest."

"SHE'S A CHILD! HOW COULD YOU—"

"Jane dear." Was all I heard before crumpling onto the floor, the familiar pain settling in automatically, an eternal fire of hell.

When I came to, Bella was by my side, furious in Jeanine's binding hands. Aro spoke again, this time more softly.

"Now, yes, we have reached a decision." He motioned for Nessie and her captor to take a step forward. Nessie's face was blanched in tears, her cheeks flushed and panting.

"Renesmee Cullen, for the murder of Gianna Mendez, we hereby find you guilty."

Oliver began trembling, and Alec immediately focused on him, quieting him instantly. Nessie glared, her lips wavering but refusing to give away any further signs of weakness.

Despite the terrible ordeal, I felt a sudden burst of pride for her.

"However," Aro continued, "considering the reasoning behind your actions, we have agreed to modify the usual punishment for this kind of crime—which I will remind you is 'death'—to something much more reasonable, quite honorable even." He paused, as if drawing out the moment for an audience.

"Your sentence, Miss Cullen: your complete and absolute loyalty, as a new member of the Volturi guard."

I watched my daughter's face pale, her strong display crumbling into dust. Suddenly another set of thoughts invaded my mind and I growled towards Jane's gliding figure. _They couldn't do that! There was no justice in it, there—_

Aro leaned his ear away from Jane's careful parted lips, resisting any contact with the elder, an eager smile on his powdery face. Before he could say anything, I turned immediately towards my wife.

"Bella, whatever they say, don't agree to anything, don't—" I felt myself thrown down onto the floor, Felix's immaculate arm pinning me down threateningly. Bella struggled anxiously.

"Edward!"

But Aro was already within feet away from her, his smiling face unable to hide the eager suggestion Jane had so 'graciously' offered.

"Isabella Cullen, please, do not hold us such hostilities. We are gracious, after all, and I will prove it to you with a proposition, one you might find quite interesting."

Bella glared at him. "I doubt you could find any alternative that would better suit _you_, my daughter—"

"Oh but I have!" Aro crooned, clasping his hands together in enthusiasm. I struggled against Felix's arm, trying to speak, but only managed a sputter and weak cough.

"We know of Renesmee's _interesting_ gift, which is why we even bothered to offer her an alternative, however, we also realize that she is a child, as your husband so aptly put it. Being so, consider this…" he paused. I could see from Bella's conflicted eyes that she was finally guessing at what she was going be asked, and I hated him more it, hated the whole damn lot, for putting our family through this—

"We will return you Renesmee, untouched and unharmed, all charges cleared, for a small but reasonable price…Edward."

Bella gasped, her eyes widening as our eyes met, an unmistakable moment of identical horror and understanding.

"Your choice, my dear," Aro was saying, "Renesmee, or Edward?"

* * *

Thank you all so much for the continued reviews and support! I know, this is somewhat of an angsty cliffhanger, sorry :( but don't worry, I'm working overtime to get this story finished, hopefully sooner than I calculated. Just a couple notes before anyone starts asking lol. Some of you may be wondering why Bella hasn't shielded either Renesmee, Oliver, or Edward, here's why: all three—in Edward's case, when he attacks Alec and is picked up by Felix—are being held ridiculously close (remember how 'close' Felix insisted on holding Nessie? The dirty slimeball…) for a reason. That reason is exactly Bella's shield, in other words, if she attempts to shield Nessie, for instance, she will have no choice but to shield Felix as well. Also, I made a big mistake in the previous chapter (just fixed it though); basically before the trial starts Aro tells Bella she can't shield Nessie (and Oliver by association). There's a very subtle hint implying she can't shield Edward either. Notice how when Nessie does get quieted, its Alec and not Jane? This also implies that the Volturi never intended to physically hurt Nessie during the trial. Edward, however, disrupts by attacking, which in the Volturis eyes deems worthy of pain. Also notice, though, that as soon as Jane disables him and he comes to, Bella is close to him...so maybe she ignored Aros command in the end and decided to shield her husband?Get it? If you still don't understand ask me and I will gladly explain better.

Um, I think I had another note to add but I forgot lol, so if you are confused about anything else just, again, let me know and I will get back to you asap. OH one more thing! I've mentioned working on a Rosalie/Jacob oneshot but am considering writing yet another pair (in addition lol). I thought it'd be fun for you all to choose the next pairing hehe, so if you'd like, go vote on my profile for the next oneshot pair! I would really appreciate it :) Ok, well, please review! I can't stress how motivating simple words (even if negative) can be for me as a writer; all in all it only helps me give you what you want hehe, so review, review! Thanks.


	67. Alliances

First off, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! I was so happy this morning to wake up to several emails announcing reviews; that day was so tiring for me, and the reviews kept coming in, really you all kept me going lol, so thank you so much, I love you, mwuah! Ok, so getting back to the story lol, I bet everyone's wondering where our favorite wolfpack and family are, huh? This chapter will backtrack a little, just to see what they have been up to all this time, a little fun perhaps? Remember that these scenes are happening BEFORE and DURING the trial you all have just witnessed, so just so there's no confusion. Ok, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

**************************Carlisle***************************

A mixture of opposing scents circulated the enclosed area, the background aroma of human blood and flesh, my families individual sweet smell and…the earthy yet acerbic waft of thirteen shape-shifting wolves…I closed my eyes in frustration and for the second time in any discussion with Jacob, took a deep breath.

"Jacob," I began again, "I understand your worry for Nessie, and your immediate protective instincts, but—"

"But nothing!" Jacob hissed back at me. "They're just looking for a fight and you know it, we—"

"Are now the ones initiating a fight by bringing along the wolves!" I retorted back hotly, with as much discretion as possible. We still had several hours to go on the plane and I didn't want to cause any kind of stir, especially since we were so close already. Much to my dismay, however, Jacob merely grinned.

"Ah, relax, Carlisle, you'll be thanking me once we get there and find Bella and Edward surrounded—"

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe, just MAYBE, the Volturi is doing its job and that Nessie is already home-free? And if we arrive with thirteen shape-shifting wolves they're just going to let her leave—"

"Actually, Carlisle," cut in Alice, "before my visions disappeared, I did happen to catch something in Jane's mind, something instant but quite leading nonetheless."

I frowned, knowing it could only be bad news. "What, pray, Alice, would that be?"

"She was thinking about some kind of negotiation involving Edward. That's all I caught, but I think it would be reasonable to assume any negotiation with the Volturi can only be a bad thing…what if they find Nessie guilty?"

Esme shook her head beside me. "No, Nessie didn't do anything but rescue another life, two actually, if—"

But I was already shaking my head in opposition, Alice's vision clear in every light and my own blindness illuminated by false hope. "_Would_ the Volturi deem the life of a shape-shifter to be of any importance? I think not. There is a great possibility that she may indeed be found guilty—"

"See! I told you! We're going to have to fight," put in Jacob, but I continued frowning.

"I apologize for my hasty assumptions earlier, Jacob. I suppose a small part of me was still hoping the Volturi capable of some human decency, but it doesn't change my thoughts on the pack. A fight will only give them more reason to implicate us all—"

Jacob looked at me with stubborn black eyes. "Well then so be it, I don't know about you, _grandpa_, but I'm not letting them have Nessie."

I made to respond but decided against it. Jacob was dead set when it came to the safety of our granddaughter; no time for compromising or planning…he was NOT going to change his mind.

I sighed. _I hope you're right about this, Jacob…_

********************************Emmett*******************************

"I still don't get it though, Jazz, how come _I_ can't kill anyone?" I whined.

Jasper gave me a small, sympathetic smile. "Because, we need to avoid any further implications. Carlisle is right in that respect, fighting to kill is only going to cause more trouble so instead—"

"_We_ do the killing, and you focus on the 'beating the crap out of them' part," cut in another voice, bright with excitement. I narrowed my eyes despite his cheer.

"You know, if there weren't so many humans around I'd take you on right now," I said. Seth just rolled his eyes at me. His sister coughed beside him, though it sounded unusually similar to 'idiots.'

"Who would've thought, eh? Your plane gets delayed, and even though we waited, we still ended up on the same one!" Seth continued happily.

I heard Rosalie's hiss from beside me, an almost inaudible 'and then we had to trade our first class to economy, ugh!' I couldn't help but chuckle, Rose always had a way for making me laugh, in her own self-preserving manner. Behind me Seth continued ranting a series of self-congratulation on their 'sneaky' boarding.

_Yeah, sneaky in the sense that Carlisle insisted not to cause a scene at the airport_…still though, if the pack came with us, then there was definitely going to be a fight, and that was just—

"—totally awesome!" Seth was suddenly too close for comfort, but I didn't care: he took the words right out of my mouth. "I mean," he said enthusiastically, "can you imagine all the screaming vampires? '_Run little bloodsucker run!_'"

I laughed aloud, causing an elder couple up front to turn around with a scowl. When I flashed a dazzling smile their way, they blinked, confused with the general conflicting emotions of irritation and awe. Jasper rolled his eyes at me.

"I guess beating them up is still fun," I chortled, grinning widely at Seth's intoxicating eagerness. I didn't blame him; I was _so_ ready to kick some Volturi butt!

"Definitely," Jasper agreed across the aisle, "just so long as you don't get ahead of yourself, Emmett, you—"

"Geez! I know, I know, tear apart but don't kill, I get it, I get it, I'm not stu—"

"Darling," Rose suddenly chirped in, "we know you're not _stupid_, but you do have a tendency to over do any kind of fighting, killing by accident isn't too far out of your league so just—"

"Try not to be so reckless." Leah finished her sentence from behind us, never once glancing in our direction. Rose's eyes widened fractionally, and for a terrifying second her beautiful face gone livid as she focused on the dark skinned female pack member sitting behind us. Seth and I exchanged glances, a silent agreement for immediate 'girl restraining' should the need arise.

Rose turned back to me, a strange light in her golden eyes. "Yes, exactly."

My mouth dropped a second quicker than Seth's, our eyes bulging in shock. Rose…_agreeing_…with..._Leah_?

"Shut your mouth before you start drooling little brother," Leah snapped impatiently, turning around ever so slightly to frown at her younger brother. For a split second their eyes met, brown with golden, the heated cores of each of our families…silent allies. Rosalie smirked and quickly broke the contact.

"Luckily we don't drool, but still, Emmett, do close your mouth, it's not attractive," she said, the corners of her lips curling upward as she returned towards the façade of reading a magazine. I looked at Seth, utter bewilderment mirrored per square inch on his face.

"What the—"

"How did—"

Seth leaned in closer, speaking just above a whisper. "Dude, that was scary."

I nodded, making sure to keep my voice as low as possible. "Tell me about it. That's the first time they've ever even made eye contact!"

"Pretty soon they'll be best friends!" Seth chimed in.

I nodded eagerly, chuckling lightly with our wild imaginations. "And shopping together! I bet Alice would have a field day with Leah, she's about the same size as her don't you think—"

Seth suddenly lost a shade of color, glancing nervously at his sister. "Let's not mention shopping, Leah's a bit sensitive about—oof!"

I stared at her in surprise. "What was that for, Leah?"

Leah only glanced at me once, before retorting matter-of-factly, "Seth knows not to be talking about my wardrobe, no matter how discreet."

"But he only sai—ow!"

"Emmett, turn around and sit down. You two are causing a scene. Leah's right, a girl's wardrobe is nobody's business but her own." Before I could blink she'd pulled me down into the seat beside her. Behind us I could hear Seth whining where Leah had hit him. I shot him a quick glance of 'what the hell?' but only managed to catch a glimmer of Leah's face.

She was smiling.

************************Jacob******************************

_One more hour, one more hour…I wonder what Nessie's doing…I hope you're alright, Ness…_

Beside me Sam shot me a quick nod, short but supportive, a look that said 'don't worry, we'll get those bastards.' I looked away in response. We were sitting behind Carlisle and Esme and I repeatedly told myself that he was wrong, that the Volturi was only after one thing, and ultimately it would come to a fight. Why else would they be implicating Nessie anyway?

Alice's earlier words crossed my mind…

"_The Volturi has always been interested in several of us. Myself, Edward, and recently Bella have been the pinnacle of wanting what you can never have, some more so than the rest," she said, suddenly looking away. I knew why, of course…Alice was the vampire wanted 'more so than the rest.'_

"_Nessie's gift, though not as defensive, may be used as a means of attacking. Think about it, in a hand-to-hand fight, what could she show vampires that might completely throw them off guard?"_

_I'd thought about that for a second, cringing whilst making a face as I answered her. "Blood."_

_Alice nodded. "Yes, so, if trained properly, Nessie could also be a coveted member—"_

"_Wait a second," I interrupted, my voice suddenly gone up an octave, "you're saying that maybe they'll try to keep her? For her stupid gift?"_

_Alice made a face at me. "It's not a stupid gif—"_

"_It is if they want her for it!" I cut in hotly._

_She sighed. "Look, Jacob, none of us want that to be true. I'm just working with all the possible outcomes here. It's kind of hard to see anything without my visions, you know…"_

_That only made me feel worse, of course. "Oh…yeah, sorry about that—"_

_But she quickly shook her head and smiled at me. "Don't be. The pack has always been supportive of us, whether forced or not," she laughed softly, "so as much as it sucks for my visions, I can't think of anyone better to be fighting with."_

_I fought the urge to hug her into my chest. Alice was, aside from Nessie and Bella, the only Cullen that I'd found myself able to REALLY warm up to—with Edward there would always be some kind of awkwardness after. _

But the thought of Nessie becoming one of them, a Volturi bloodsucker…I forced myself to calm down. Sam placed his hand on my shaking shoulder, a gentle warning that I quickly overcame. I took a deep breath and gave my pack a final look, an expression without words that conveyed just how dangerous and how important our near battle was going to be.

_Nessie, my love, I'm almost there..._

* * *

Ooooohhh! They're almost to Volterra! And the trial just ended, right? Well, sort of…I do recall I left you all with some kind of cliffy there, hmmm…hehehe. Coming up next is the after math of 'Bella's decision.' I know this chapter wasn't too great, but I needed some humor—even if it included a VERY odd pair, Rose and Leah lol—and I really needed to include a Jake POV, since most everyone here seems to be a 'team Jacob' fan…*team Edward all the way whoo!*…but anyway, I'm just ranting now. Next chapter should be up sometime Monday. Till then, check out my new poll on my profile page, as well as—if you haven't already—read and review my oneshots. Oh and of course please review this one, the next chapter will be quite exciting, I promise, and the more reviews I get, the quicker I will send it out :) thank you all, love you!


	68. Negotiation

Thanks so much for all the reviews, and the support and the love, it means so much to me. Seriously, things have been so busy for me lately and I'm about to start my internship so hearing from you all just makes my day, thanks :) This chapter is going to be, basically, A LOT of arguing/drama/goodness! type of stuff…the ending is what I'm looking forward to hehe, however, I don't know how long it will be, so if it's too long I may have to cut it into two chapters. Don't worry though, they will both be out by today. Please, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

**************************Bella*******************************

Aro's too innocent expression gazed at me wondrously; mildly amused, waiting with the air of silent impatience. Despite the intensity I couldn't take my eyes off of my husband, no longer prone to any kind of attack besides physical but very much in danger of the unbelievable proposition. I could feel Nessie's eyes boring into my stone expression, unsure of how to understand any of this…Edward stared at me with his golden eyes, wide and telling…I knew without even thinking what Edward wanted me to do…I couldn't repeat what Aro'd just said, couldn't fathom the ridiculous choice, the cruel injustice of it all. I attempted to retort angrily but found that no words would come, and instead only managed to fix my cold stare back into Aro's inquisitive expression.

I glared at him.

"Now, my dear, I do realize such a decision can never be an easy one but—"

"An easy one?" I interrupted acidly, blinking as if to recall this was all really happening. Without even considering the consequences I extended my shield over Nessie and Oliver as well, feeling the unfortunate presence of their captives but not caring. "How DARE you even THINK that I'm just going to choose one over the other!"

I struggled against Jeanine's arms, managing to pull her slightly forward as I shifted closer to Aro's smiling face. He didn't budge or blink.

"These are the _loves of my life_! I couldn't possibl—"

"I know!" he suddenly exclaimed. "How about we throw the boy in too, hmm? I do think that's more than fair I—"

I growled, louder than I had ever imagined myself capable of, cutting Aro off midsentence. "Fair! You hypocritical _bastard_! And what the hell has this whole trial been…" I stopped, an idea coming to mind, to save all of them, my daughter and husband…another negotiation…

_It could work, after all, my shield IS much stronger than many others…_

I smiled back at him, and for a second his faltered, uncertain with my abrupt confidence. "Aro, I have a counter proposition for you, what if I told you—"

"BELLA, NO!"

I squeezed my eyes shut for an instant. _Drat, I forgot Edward can read my mind now…_

"Bella! Listen to me, we'll figure something out, trust me, but don't you dare do _that_, don't you dare take yourself away from me—"

Aro's eyes were suddenly gleaming. "Ah, so am I correct to say you're willing to offer yourself, Isabella? In place of your husband and daughter's safety?"

"Bella! We need you, Nessie needs a mother, _I_ need you—"

"And Oliver too," I added, ignoring Edward's frantic pleas. I could feel a lump forming in my throat with the immense guilt, but I ignored that too. I would do anything to save them…

"Mom! Mommy, no!" Nessie suddenly exclaimed, joining in with her father. "Let them have me! I'll be fine, I swear. You and daddy need each other, you can't exist any other way—"

"Bella, I—Renesmee Cullen don't you even THINK about offering yourself, young lady!—just refuse altogether, Bella, just—"

Their cries, Nessie's blotched, wet face and Edward's panicked, tortured one…I couldn't face them right now. I knew this was the only way. I was stronger than both of them, in my own way, and I had to protect them, even when my shield could not—

"ARO!" Edward suddenly bellowed, louder than his cries. "STOP THIS RIGHT NOW! YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY SEE THE JUSTICE IN ALL THIS! TEARING A FAMILY APART OVER SOME BULLSHIT VERDICT! CAIUS IS BEHIND ALL THIS! IT'S BECAUSE OF THE WOLVES! AND HIS JEALOUSY OF YOU! I CAN SEE IT IN HIS THOUGHTS! YOU HAVE TO ST—"

As quick as anything I'd ever seen, and without any warning, Caius was by Edward's half-crouched form, a blur amidst the room, an outstretched hand and—

SLAP!

"That is quite enough, Mr. Cullen," he hissed, his red eyes gone wide with anger. "How dare you imply such nonsense, such blasphemy! I can—"

But Edward had already recovered from his shock, as had I. We both made to dive at him. Jeanine managed to pin me back down, though we were on the floor at this point, Felix however—

"Ow! You son of a bi—oof!" Edward had, miraculously, scrambled out of Felix's grip and aimed a perfect punch into the stronger vampire's abdomen, a sharp and practiced assault. Felix went sailing ten feet backwards, eyes blazing in fury. Edward was too ready for it all; he had already sent Caius crashing into a very surprised Jane and was now easily dodging Felix's tackle.

Caius looked strange in disarray, eyes wide in shock. He immediately sprang onto his feet and made towards Edward, his teeth bared in anger. I struggled more against Jeanine's iron hands, barely hearing a low but audible 'trust me' whispered into my ear. I meant to do no such thing, however.

"Let go of me, you—"

"DO IT AND I'LL TELL HIM EVERYTHING, CAIUS!" Edward's last words seemed to linger in the air, menacing to the baring vampire before him. I looked at my husband searchingly, but his fierce gaze was focused on no one else.

Caius glared at him, a frozen moment of hatred. It was all another vampire needed, though.

Edward fell to the floor, his back arching unnaturally as Felix hit him full force in the spine.

"EDWARD!"

"DADDY!"

But Edward looked neither at me nor our daughter. For a long moment he simply laid there, the broken bones undoubtedly already mending into place, his eyes shut in pained agony. When he looked up however, his eyes fixed once again on Caius, a strange light emitting triumphantly. He spoke softly, too softly for anyone save Caius, myself, and Jeanine to hear.

"So he doesn't know, does he? That _you_ know?" he said, chuckling darkly. I inwardly cringed at the horrible expression on Edward's beautiful face, a dark angel, wicked, much too wicked for someone so wholesome.

Caius' face was a mixed one, horror with…something else. I turned towards Aro, unusually quiet and more observant with the spectacle. I didn't understand, one touch and he could know everything, could see what it was Caius was so upset about that Edward obviously knew.

It happened quickly. In another instant, Caius was by Oliver's terrified form, his hands placed threateningly around the boy's neck. The expression on Caius' face…an indescribable monster.

"One more word," he sneered, "out of any of you Cullens, and the boy gets it."

"NO!" Nessie exclaimed, struggling against her captive's arms, her breathing erratic with worry and fear.

Oliver was trembling, from fear or from anger I couldn't tell, but I did know that either emotion could result in his transformation, and if he did so that close…

I glanced back into Edward's face, searching again for the familiar source of comfort that he knew something, something that might be our ticket out of all this…but he was gone, a trick of the human mind, speeding as fast as he could towards—

"NESSIE! NO!" I screamed. Another instant occurrence; Nessie had somehow managed to escape her captive's arms and was now running head on towards Caius and Oliver, her lithe form and steel expression angry and determined. Caius looked up a second early before the impact, his grin widening triumphantly with her approach. My slightly enhanced senses took in everything as if in slow motion, my own struggling pointless. Caius turned, his teeth bared and ready for the smaller assailant headed his way; Oliver trembling faster and harder than ever, his wide, dark eyes pleading with Nessie to save herself, an undying love and concern…and Nessie, her long legs leaving the ground, teeth bared in mid air, hair flying wildly behind her as she lunged in attempt to save her best friend's life once again—

But it was short-lived. As hasty as she'd made her decision, Edward had made his.

They fell hard onto the floor, father and daughter, skidding harshly across the tile towards a decorative pillar. Edward's already injured back hit with a resounding 'thud' but he determinedly held his own, never once releasing the smaller half-girl half-vampire held protectively to his chest. Nessie's eyes were wide with surprise as she looked worriedly into the tightly bound, 'too stubborn to show pain' eyes of her father.

"Daddy, are you ok? I could've had him I—" she began, a voice unbalanced with frustration and worry and irritation.

Edward opened his eyes. "Don't you EVER do that to me again, do you understand?" he spit out, eyeing her sternly. Nessie's eyes had began to fill again, and she nodded dumbly before he pulled her into his broken frame once more, this time with so much worry of a father it was heartbreaking.

Caius, meanwhile, simply pulled Oliver closer to his own chest. "Well, isn't that sweet?" he bit out acidly. "But enough is enough, there's no need for this boy anyway," he said, arm raised meaningfully. He brought it down swiftly.

Edward had to restrain Nessie as she cried out again. "OLIVER, NO!"

I made my own useless efforts as well, even begging the dark-haired woman to release me, but then—

Caius fell to the floor, his eyes wide with disbelief as the other form hovered above him dangerously.

"Caius," he spoke authoritatively, "that is enough."

Alright, yes it is going to be too long…sorry :( but I will have the next one out tonight for sure, perhaps sooner (I'm typing all day today so give me some credit lol). Please review this one too, it would mean a lot to me. Plus, I'm working overtime here! A little thought from each of you is a grand present, trust me lol. Ok, well, that's it for here, gotta go finish typing the next part (and believe me, the next part is ooooooh!). Review! Thanks.


	69. Confrontations

Hello again, hope you all are reviewing while I'm typing lol. Thanks so much for everything :-) Here's the next chapter, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

****************************Oliver*********************************

I stared in awe at the body standing between myself and Caius, bewildered yet grateful for my life. Somewhere in the background I could hear Felix and Alec fighting against a struggling Edward and Renesmee. Caius began to laugh.

"How dramatic, dear brother," Caius was saying, "so now you're protecting the _dogs_ as well?"

Even though I couldn't see his face, I could tell from the sudden stiffening of his shoulders, the slight tilt of his head, that Aro was upset with these words. His tone didn't give the slightest hint, however.

"Caius, my dear brother," he began, "you are upset and disarrayed, I'm asking you to please calm dow—"

"Calm down?" Caius suddenly spat out vehemently, "We have the Cullen family in the palms of our hands, possibly an extension to the extermination of those damned wolves as well and you—"

A loud rip suddenly echoed throughout the room, and Demetri flew backwards with incredible instincts, barely out of my reach as I phased. I'd had enough, and the mention of killing the pack, my brothers…it sent me over the edge.

I immediately went for him, watching Caius suffer in agony with what I had planned for him, but suddenly I fell.

"Mom! Do something, shield him!" I thought I heard Renesmee yell, but I couldn't be sure; the pain was too intense, too overwhelming, too much of everything…and then suddenly it stopped.

I recovered quickly and found my target: Caius was still cowering on the floor behind Aro. Aro's expression was that of mixed fear and amusement. It registered somewhere in the back of my mind that Aro had been the one to stop Caius from killing me earlier, but it just as quickly evaporated.

I had vampires to kill.

I raced forward, jumping in midair—

And felt the returning fire in my limbs, the helpless state of my body consuming every rational thought in my mind, my soul. I wanted to scream, to howl but I had no control over anything, only the complete acknowledgment of the terrifying pain…

***********************Nessie**************************

"Mom! I thought you were shielding him, why—"

My mom looked at me with wide eyes, a defeated look. I didn't understand it until—

I felt _her_…Jane, her eyes glowing maliciously as she orchestrated her small fingers to entwine a strand of my hair. I gasped with the realization…Jane was under mom's shield, which meant…

I searched daddy's face, but there was no comfort in his expression, but mere loathe and worry. I remembered a time two years ago, when mom had still been practicing with her shield's potential, how daddy had said something about a 'one-way glass'…Jane and Alec's powers, they could affect us if they were under mom's umbrella…

Aro was speaking again, and I felt another pang upon pang of guilt and sadness when Oliver slumped exhaustedly onto the floor, back in his human form.

"That is ENOUGH!" he bellowed, but his eyes were only on Caius. Caius was finally on his feet, a sneer evident in all its glory.

"Enough? The brat just tried to kill me! He's mine! I'm going to—"

"Do nothing," Aro interrupted him, a menacing light in his eyes. "You are right concerning the circumstances, but there is no need to unjustly kill the boy. Are you forgetting his importance to the girl? Even as tactless as you've proven to be at times I would imagine even you could see how important it is to keep the imprint alive, at least for now—"

I shot a quick glance in Oliver's direction, grateful to see him conscious and in a huddled position, grabbing what was left of his shorts to cover himself. He met my gaze for a second, confused and worried, no doubt uncomfortable with their misunderstanding of the imprint. His eyes flickered over towards daddy, questioning. I followed his look, puzzled when daddy sent him a familiar glance.

_Don't say a word_, it said…

Stepping lightly and still seemingly bored—despite the drama and action—Marcus was suddenly by Aro's side with a girl shadowing his every move, a silent alliance towards the third brother snarling on the opposite side. I wondered vaguely how he could seem so uninterested in everything that had just happened…it was strange.

"So that's what this is now, is it?" Caius was saying, his expression shadowed in hatred and betrayal. "You are being too soft, Aro! You—"

But he stopped, his mouth gaping whilst Marcus lightly made contact with Aro's powdery hand. Aro stared for a second before the connection was lost, a frown on his face. He turned suddenly back towards Oliver, glanced at me, and then landed on Jeanine.

"Jeanine, dear, do you have your shield up at the moment?" he asked. I didn't understand, what that had to with anyth—

Jeanine answered mechanically. "No, master."

Aro's eyebrows suddenly lifted, the frown never leaving his face as he focused his attention back onto Caius. "Interesting, interesting. Marcus tells me of something quite interesting, dear brother, concerning the imprint, not that it's of too much importance considering I can see how greatly he impacts the girl anyway, but—_what_ are you doing?"

Caius was laughing again, maniacally. If I hadn't been so terrified already I might've been haunted by that picture for the rest of my eternal life. He smirked as he focused on the other brother instead. "Oh, did you see something interesting, Marcus? Hmm? Tell me, do you enjoy groveling to our dear Aro upon every chance? Or do you feel compelled to do so?"

Aro's eyes began to widen. "Caius," he spoke curtly, "this is no time or the place for such nonse—"

"Oh but it is!" exclaimed Caius.

I didn't know what to make of anything. Mom was still being held by Jeanine, a look of complete confusion on her delicate face; Oliver was just as lost. Daddy, of course, knew everything, and yet he remained frozen, commanding us all silently to follow suit.

"Brother," Aro was imploring, almost begging, "I understand your hatred for the mongrels but—"

"No, you have never understood anything, Aro!" Caius was saying, suddenly taking a step forward. Much to my surprise, Aro stepped back. Marcus didn't even bother to blink, I had the sensation that if he could sleep he would be yawning right now.

"You have grown soft, Aro, much too soft, and I have withstood it all, like an _imbecile_! And this one," he pointed a finger at Marcus—still utterly 'thrilled'—"we both know why he bothers to listen to you at all—"

"Caius, please—"

"But you know what, I've had enough, brother," Caius finished, his lively eyes burning madly. Aro made to speak again but Caius was no longer listening. In a flash he was out of Aro's reach and decapitating the girl that seemed to cling to Marcus' robe, a quick kill as he ripped right through her.

"CHELSEA! NO!" Aro screamed. I was in shock; clearly there was something much bigger going on here—

Marcus seemed to come out as if in a trance, his features puzzled. He looked towards Aro and then Caius. "Brother, what did you do that for?"

Aro was fuming, his eyes only on Caius, but Caius paid him no heed. "To break the spell, dear brother, isn't that right, Aro?"

Marcus looked confused. "What do you mea—"

But Caius was still talking, stalking towards the two with an evil gleam in his eyes. "Chelsea had an interesting gift, Marcus. She had the ability to break and strengthen bonds, how else would you have stayed with us for so long? With Aro?"

Marcus, looking more and more like a complete different vampire, shook his head. "But my allegiance was always with Aro, with the Volturi, surely—"

"Was it now?" Caius feigned curiosity. Aro was frozen, his white face paling to an impossible extent further. "I do recall, Marcus, you planning to leave us back when your wife was around, were you not?"

This seemed to arouse some sentiment in Marcus' face, a strange sight for someone so usually bland. He looked pained, as if recalling a horrible memory. "My…wife…Didyme…"

"Yes," continued Caius, "Aro's sister."

Marcus regarded him coldly. "That, brother, was a long time ago. Why must you pain me with the sad memory?"

At this Caius' grin grew wider, crazed and exultant. "Because, dear brother, did you not know that Aro killed her to keep you?"

_WHAT?_

I felt several things, realizations go through my head…Aro had killed his own sister to keep Marcus loyal to him…Chelsea…_Chelsea_! She had the ability to strengthen bonds, Aro must've assigned her to keep Marcus close to her all this time…I glanced at my knowing father. He gave me a subtle nod, his own mouth curved somewhat into a smile.

A smile? What did that mean? Could this turn of events be our way out?

I had less than a second to consider all this; Aro had finally come out of his stupor.

"JANE! ALEC!" he screamed, a furious yet terrified bellow. Jane and Alec reacted instinctively, taking Caius and Marcus accordingly. I felt a small relief as her cold fingers left my arm…only to be replaced with another pair though.

Caius looked at Jane with a smile as she approached him. "Ah, Jane, my one comfort in all this. You have—wait, what are you doing?"

She smiled sweetly at him. "Following orders, Caius."

Caius sent one final look of betrayal in her direction before he began writhing in agony on the floor. Marcus, having been frozen with the news, now stood frozen with Alec's influence. Aro, slightly calmed, turned an angry eye onto the rest of the room, falling onto mom.

"Isabella," he said shortly, "as you can see my court is in no fit state to accompany the rest of this trial. I am quite enraged with how all this has turned out and am not going to tolerate any more leniency than I already have. The same deal applies, choose now: your daughter or your husband."

I could feel my anger building, seething with our misfortunes, with the unfairness. How could everything be falling apart more than it already was? My family was miserable, I was destined to become a disgusting Volturi guard member, and Jake…

_Oh Jake, if I could only see you one last time…_

Aro was till talking, my mom visibly struggling with his demands. "Refuse and I will release Caius and unleash him onto your daughter's precious little imprint, and trust me, he will leave _nothing_."

I watched my agonized mother, words lost in her uncertainty, but when she opened her mouth to speak, the door opened and it was another voice that filled the room, a voice that sent chills up my spine and tears down my face, a voice that spoke with power and comfort, security and love…

The most beautiful voice in the world.

"There's only one problem there, bloodsucker. That kid isn't Nessie's imprint," he said, stepping fully into the room, shining with the rays of an invisible moon, eyes of deep brown resonating loud and clear, miraculous and glorious, "I am."

My heart stopped for a mind-numbing moment and there was nothing but him and me. I parted my lips to mouth a single word…_Jake!_

Ok, so what did you think of this cliffy? Hehe, I know, horrible but oh so juicy! Jake is here, Jake is here! AaaahhH! So obviously there's a bigger battle coming up next.

A quick note for anyone who doesn't already know: Didyme was Aro's sister and Marcus' wife back in the day. According to sources I've read (because I'm not sure SM mentions any of this in her books, if she does I don't remember where) Marcus and Didyme were actually planning to leave the Volturri, mainly because Didyme didn't want to be a part of it anymore (too cruel and all that bad stuff). Aro didn't want Marcus to leave, however, so he killed Didyme (his sister…that jerk!) and had Chelsea keep Marcus close to himself. Also according to sources, it is unclear if Caius ever knew the truth about all this, and so, for my plot's purpose, I'm assuming he found out somehow. If you remember, Caius has had several disagreements with Caius (one example when Aro let Edward, Alice, and Bella leave in New Moon) and so I think it very plausible that he's just fed up with all of Aro's 'niceness' so to speak. If you have any questions regarding anything don't hesitate to ask, remember, there is no such thing as a stupid question (ha! Don't you remember when teachers told you that all the time?), well, unless you have the same mindset of my director…one of her favorite lines when I ask questions—and I'm not stupid, just…lack a bit of common sense sometimes hehe—'Filter the stupidity!' But you won't have that problem with me, I'm super nice hehe. Anyway, I'm already working on the next chapter so until then please review! I also have a couple of oneshots you can read in the meantime and a new poll, thank you all, love you! Thanks.


	70. Chaos

Thank you all for all the lovely reviews! You've made me one happy wanna-be author lol, and so…I was going to post this later in the evening but since I got such great feedback here it is, the next chapter. Read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

******************************Edward*****************************

I doubted I would ever be more thrilled to see Jacob and his pack than now. He walked in proudly, a passionate, dangerous gleam on his face, his pack close at his heels. I could hear the subtle thoughts of the rest of my family as well, but Jacob's stood out above anyone else's.

_They're back in the lobby and hallway, taking care of any stragglers…funny though, there weren't as many as we thought there would be…_

I grinned, slightly ashamed I couldn't convey just _why_ there weren't as many Volturri members as usual…_thanks Jeanine_…

…_Jake, I…Jake…_Nessie's thoughts, chaotic and exultant, her heart fluttering madly.

They shared a quick glance, silent and knowing…but much too short. Without a second breath, Jacob broke the intense connection with Nessie and locked eyes with me.

_Edward! Hurry up, grab Nessie, Oliver, and Bella! Leave this to us, we don't have much time!_

I nodded, at the same moment that Jacob leapt forward and phased mid-air, his pack barging in behind him, a couple with torn limbs dangling lifelessly between their teeth. I made my way towards Nessie's frozen form, her eyes never leaving Jacob's now-fighting figure. I could tell from her thoughts and expressions how she wanted nothing more than to run into his waiting arms.

Unfortunately he was a bit preoccupied with massacring vampires at the moment.

I swiftly approached her, motioning Bella—Jeanine having mysteriously disappeared—to grab Oliver. Aro, seeing the odds stacked greatly against him, immediately ordered Jane and Alec to release his brothers. As soon as they came to however—

"YOU!" Marcus yelled in fury, latching himself onto Aro as they began a fight of their own. Aro barely managed to call out 'RENATA!' but to no avail; two wolves had attacked Renata before he managed to shield himself, much less Aro. The rest of the guards began scrambling, defending themselves as best as they could with the sudden intrusion. It was utter chaos, the wolves outnumbering the remaining guard members by almost double, but I didn't have time to dwell on that. As soon as I reached my still daughter—

"What are you—daddy no!" she began flailing in my arms, screaming at the top of her lungs. "JAKE NEEDS ME!" she cried, her tears flowing through my skin as we maneuvered our way towards the exit. Bella was nearby, carrying a stupefied Oliver in her arms. A piercing howl echoed throughout the room as one of the wolves was thrown against the opposite wall.

"JAKE!"

"Nessie! Stop yelling right—"

But she ignored me, fighting and pulling my hair as I struggled to keep her in my hold, a livid hurricane gone loose. And then suddenly—

_Blood…lots of blood, fresh and sweet, Bella's human blood in all its glory—_

Closing my eyes desperately and fleeing full force I grabbed her by the wrists and pulled her hands away from me. She looked at me guiltily but angrily, seeing how quickly I'd caught on.

"Don't fight me, Nessie," I told her, reaching the door and racing out, "Jacob needs you safe, and that's where I'm taking you—"

"But—"

"Renesmee!"

"Daddy I—"

"Give her to me," Bella suddenly commanded. I wordlessly switched her for Oliver; Nessie exclaimed ferociously, knowing there was no winning against her still somewhat newborn mother.

We raced towards the rest of our family, whose thoughts I could hear clearer.

_I can't believe they get to have all the fun_…Emmett…

_Huh, that was quick. I wonder where the rest of the guard is, surely there should've been more_…Jasper…

_Hello Edward! I can't see too clearly but I know you're close!..._Alice, of course…

_I really hope they're all ok_…Esme…

_I need to get to the main room, the Volturri can't be completely killed_…Carlisle…

_Ugh, that's the last time Seth Clearwater is coming near me, I can't believe he licked me!..._Rose, who else…

And then—

_I'm so glad Jane is always prepared for anything, treacherous whore, still though, this escape is going to come in handy…_

"NO!" I growled aloud, almost smacking right into Carlisle and Esme as they rounded the corner.

"Oh!" cried Esme, her arms immediately engulfing us as best as they could, but I quickly wiggled out. She looked at me through worried eyes, darker than her usual gold. I hastily handed Oliver over to Carlisle, still shaken up but very much awake.

"Let me go back, I can help—" Oliver started to say, but I silenced him with a furious look.

"Don't," I told him sternly. Esme was weeping silently over Nessie, having dropped to her knees as she held onto her granddaughter, an unspoken truce of never letting anything happen to her baby as long she was around. Nessie, whose thoughts were mostly still focused on her beloved wolf, hugged her back and held back tears, miserable but defeated. I felt for my daughter, unable to know much less help in the outcome of her best friend, her true love…but she was my priority. I turned towards Carlisle.

"We'll be back," was all I said, and he quietly nodded, turning back towards the rest of the family to leave Nessie and Oliver. Esme followed, her arms wrapped protectively around her granddaughter. Bella looked at me curiously, worried.

"Edward, what—"

"Follow me, Bella, I'm not about to let that son of a bitch get away."

*******************Jacob*******************************

One glance was all I got before I gave the order…_I'm so sorry Nessie_…

_Edward! Hurry up, grab Nessie, Oliver, and Bella! Leave this to us, we don't have much time!_

He didn't hesitate, simply met my gaze for a split second before grabbing her and motioning Bella to do the same with Oliver. I leaped and phased in the same second, my heart splitting into two when her screams began slicing the air, a panicked and terrified call for me, for my safety against any odds. My beautiful Renesmee…even now there was no girl more amazing, more dazzling. She was so strong, stronger than I had ever imagined her capable, just like her mother. It sent my mind into disarray, wanting more than anything to put my arms around her and bring her into the only place I would ever feel completely at ease, into my chest...

And then I felt myself lift backwards into the air, a surprise attack; I mentally slapped myself.

_You'll be with her soon, Jake. Right now you need to focus!_ Unable to stop the impact from behind I braced myself, hitting with a loud 'thud,' a howl escaping with the unexpected pain that shot up my leg.

_Damn bloodsuckers! I bet these walls are made of steel for just this coincidence!—_

"JAKE!"

Another jolt shot through me, down my spine, though this time it was nothing physically painful. Nessie was still screaming for me…I grit my teeth and forced myself to think straight.

_Don't worry, Ness, I'll be with you soon._

And with that I charged, erasing any sweet and glorious memory of the beautiful girl I'd fight for, for the rest of my life if need be. The battle was already in full swing, my pack ruthless in their conquests. Leah was an invisible ghost, racing back and forth as she tore off limb by limb of an elder looking leech, Seth close by. Paul and Jared were already tearing recklessly into two female vampires. I didn't remember seeing them as I entered…_someone must've called in reinforcements_…not that it mattered. I could tell without even surveying the entire room that the odds were in our favor. Even our younger—meaning Colin and Brady—wolves seemed to be 'having fun' with our enemies. Limbs and decapitated heads lingered forgotten around the room and I registered vaguely another handful of bloodsuckers entering from a back door. My brothers were only thrilled, however. Of the vampires left, only about five seemed to be putting up a good fight. I immediately spotted one I'd be more than happy to rip apart.

_You're mine little witch twin!_

I raced forward and attacked, somewhere in the back of my mind grateful for Bella's shield…_she must've shielded me when she saw me…no need to focus on the details, though…_

"AAHH! YOU DISGUSTING BEAST!" Alec was hissing, dodging my attacks. I growled, furious that despite his inability to fight back worthily, the little bastard was quick.

To the side Sam suddenly fell heavily to the floor, quickly jumping up but with a limp. Finally managing to grab Alec I easily swung him against an opposite far wall and jumped to my brother's aid.

_No, Jacob, I'm fine I—_

_Shut up Sam, that's an order._

He glared at me through his fur covered face but I ignored him, stalking carefully towards the vampire in front of him. This one was bigger than the others, stronger from the looks of it. He grinned.

"Hello there little puppy," he sneered, "come to save your little friend?"

I lunged forward, but he easily side-stepped me, chuckling mockingly as I retreated to find another opening. "What's that? Too fast for you? You _disgusting_ creature," he sneered. I lunged again, managing to graze his leg this time but nothing effective enough.

"It's a shame, really," he continued tauntingly, "to think one of your kind gets to sleep with the little Cullen slut—"

I felt an incredible surge of anger rise through my throat, emitting generously through unfurled lips and exposed loathing. _Did he just call my Nessie a_—

"Aww, did I strike a nerve? What, do you care for the little _whore_?"

I crouched low, my teeth bared menacingly, hair undoubtedly standing on end.

"Oh wait, I know!" his eyes widened with wicked eagerness. "YOU must be the _real_ imprint, huh? You lucky bastard, tell me, how good of a lay is the bitch in—"

But I never let him finish that sentence. With a lightning speed jump I striked, looking triumphantly into his wide, surprised eyes before tearing his head straight off his body. In less than five seconds I had his remains in tatters, completely unidentifiable.

_Nobody calls my Nessie a bitch, you perverted motherfuc—_

_Jake, look out!_

I barely had time to turn around as a pair of vampires came crashing into me, their ice skin indenting painfully onto my just healed leg. Embry was by my side in an instant, nudging me to get out of the way.

_Quit it, Embry, they're going to attack again—_

_No! Look!_

I hesitated…_hey, they still haven't—what the hell?_

We both stared in momentary stupor. The two vamps, two leaders of the Volturri clan…were completely kicking each other's butts!

_But what—why—_

_We have no idea, man_, Embry thought_, but I think the whiter one is losing._

I shook my head and headed towards another vampire I still had to kill. Alec was fighting Leah now, her speed rivaling his own. Leah was fuming with the challenge, her nostrils flared with impatience and she but nearly hurtled herself backwards when he somehow got on her back as if she were a horse.

_OH NO YOU DON'T YOU LITTLE—OOF!_

_Leah! Watch out—_

But Alec had already jumped off, swinging himself in front to bite into her shoulder; I was too far away to save her and then—

_NOBODY MESSES WITH MY SISTER BUT ME!_

Alec had no chance; Seth ripped him right through the middle as Leah slumped down against the wall where her back had hit. I grinned and let out a yelp in celebration.

_All right, Seth! _

Seth was still snarling, but immediately let out his tongue in contentment. The lack of vampires was more noticeable at this point, and I turned my attention to the two leaders, still wrestling with each other across the room, but there was no use.

An eerie silence suddenly filled the room as a loud smash echoed against each wall. My pack stood frozen, unsure of what to make of the scene before them, of the shattered vampire lying lifeless beneath the other; the other, with his hands up in surrender, a look of utter satisfaction and defeat in his eyes. Red eyes that blazed with an incomprehensible emotion, as if…sad but happy about something…The moment was interrupted.

_Let's get him!_

_Wait, I don't know, he looks kind of—_

_Filthy bloodsucker!_

_Jake, what do we do?_

_Jake, we have to kill him! He's one of the leaders he's—_

And then someone else entered the room, a scent we all recognized. The questions stopped immediately as Carlisle surveyed the room of death in front of him, our gaze meeting only swiftly before his eyes fell finally onto the lone, crestfallen vampire in the middle of the room.

A small smile escaped his lips, disappointed but relieved. He locked eyes with the Volturri leader.

"Marcus."

So this was just the battle pretty much, the Volturri never had a chance, ha! I hope it was ok enough, I have to admit I'm not too satisfied with this 'action' scene…however, there's still a little more hehe. Anyone notice that Caius and Jane weren't mentioned in this scene? Also, where are Edward and Bella headed? Jeanine is said to have 'mysteriously disappeared' so where is she? Speaking of Jeanine, what is it she did/told Edward for him to thank her? And finally, what is going to happen now that Marcus is the last one left? Just something to mention in case anyone missed it, in the last chapter when Marcus touched Aro (before Chelsea died) he basically just told him that Oliver was not Nessie's imprint: remember, Marcus sees relationships. Also, just in case anyone's confused, in this chapter the vampire Jacob killed was Felix, and Aro is also dead at this point. I had to throw in another Leah&Seth moment (even if it was short lol) because there is nothing sweeter than siblings showing they really don't hate each other lol. If there's anything else anyone is confused about, please let me know. The next chapter should be up soon (I'm trying to finish the story asap so I don't leave you all hanging when school starts), it will feature—but don't take my word for it, I might change my mind—a little bit of Esme, Carlisle, Jeanine, maybe Jake…so until then please review, particularly tell me if the battle scene was at least ok? I meant for it to be somewhat chaotic, ridiculously uneven in the wolves favor (thus a short battle) and not too long…Lol, thank you so much all, love you!


	71. Trust

Muchas gracias for all the support, can't ever seem to find the right amount of thank you's to you all :) We are getting close to another one of my favorite moments (I bet you can guess what it is hehe) so let's get this whole Volturri mess out of the way, shall we? Read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's fabulous work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

**************************Esme************************************

"ihaffanohel, sme!" she cried into my neck, her body heaving unevenly with every sob. I patted her back soothingly, letting her release all the frustration and stress incapable of possessing such a young girl, even for a half-human. Nessie continued mumbling strings of incoherent words, her racing heart and almost burning skin a constant reminder of everything she'd endured till now, of the things she had still to face, and of the one she missed more than anyone or anything.

Jacob.

"Sshh, it'll be alright, sweetie," Alice cooed, joining the untouched bench in the lobby. We were simply waiting now, for what we had no idea, but the well-being of our family depended on it. The few targets we'd managed to disable had already disappeared, crawling and squirming away to a safer part of the enormous place to reconstruct. We could hear the battle going on not far away, a mixture of bloodcurdling screams and earsplitting howls, though as time passed the howls became less and less.

I burrowed myself into Nessie's hair, a bit brittle but still a semblance to the softness she was so usually coupled with. She peered up at me now, her brown, red-rimmed eyes pleading for assurance, for hope, hope amidst a long and tiring journey my near-fifteen year old granddaughter had faced head on without any alternative. I smiled down at her.

"Everything will be fine, sweetheart," I told her, stroking away rebel strands of hair from her clammy forehead. "Can't you hear? The wolves are winning, and Carlisle is already on his way over there to make peace. None of us killed any of the guard so that should clear any further implications and—"

"But what about Jake?" she interrupted, her brow creased in frustration.

"Jacob will be fine, Ness," another voice answered, coming over to hover over our much missed ray of light. Nessie looked up with a small 'o' at her aunt.

"Believe me," continued Rosalie, "he _better_ be alright, or else I'm going to kick his furry butt and—"

"You called him 'Jacob'…" Nessie's eyes were wide, unbelieving and somewhat…amused.

Rosalie smirked. "Yes, well, it's only temporary, you know, fighting for the same cause and all that stuff," she rolled her eyes, waving her hand dismissively. Emmett was behind her in an instant, ruffling Nessie's hair as he kissed Rosalie swiftly on the cheek.

"Guess what I saw, Ness?" he asked, an eager grin on his face. I smiled broader as Nessie's haggard expression suddenly piqued slightly.

"What?"

Rosalie's eyes narrowed. "Emmett, don't even—"

"Rose actually let Jake hug her!" he cut in, moving hastily away as she turned around to slap him. Nessie looked confused.

"Wha—you mean—a _hug_? As in…" she lifted her arms up meaningfully, embracing a ghostly figure.

Rosalie, eyes still narrowed at her laughing partner—now 'hiding' behind Jasper—answered tightly. "I'll tell you the whole story later, but…yes, I'm still trying to get the nasty smell off my clothes."

For a long second she simply stared, too much recent grief and worry in her vulnerable mind to remember how to giggle…and then.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she burst out laughing.

I grinned and brought her closer to me, squeezing her affectionately. I could see without even opening my eyes the relieved smiles of my children. Nessie's smiles, her laughter…

It returned to us something we'd missed for too long…warmth.

*************************Carlisle***********************************

"Marcus."

The silence was never-ending, only a slight hitch of a breath here and there, an awkward shuffling of paws, wandering and confused eyes. I looked at no one, however, but the lone individual standing dead center of it all.

The person staring back at me was one I had never met, not like this. There was a complete absence of blandness, of indifference that had, for many years, been the highlighting definition of the great Volturri leader, Marcus. Marcus' eyes pierced right through me, a rekindled torture livid behind broken red spheres of uncertainty, pain, and loss, emotions vivid and extensive, trailing up to an enormous possibility of something many had never thought the Volturri capable of…_humanity_.

Oliver had explained to me, very briefly, what had taken place in this room not long ago, and judging from Marcus' expression…

_Didyme…Aro…murder…_

The broken man continued to stare at me, unmoving, silent pleas I could only guess at. It wasn't until one of the wolves—Paul from the looks of it—suddenly made an obvious gesture in his direction, a threatening growl, that I lifted my hand up in joined surrender.

"Wait," I said. Paul continued to bare his teeth, only stepping back and onto his haunches when Jacob shot him a pointed glare.

"Thank you, Jacob." I said, moving as I spoke, carefully so as not to startle my once former brother. Marcus' expression never changed however, his eyes never left mine, simply followed as I moved closer to him. It was a steady progression, all eyes on the encounter that would determine what would happen next.

I stood a mere foot away from him, impeccably untouched whilst his robes stood ripped and shredded, hair in messy disorder. He finally spoke.

"Carlisle, I—Aro, he—did you know too—"

I quickly shook my head no. The thought only seemed to pain him more for some reason.

"Chelsea—control—never knew—_Carlisle, he killed Didyme_!"

And suddenly the unexpected took place.

I instinctively enveloped the broken man with my arms as he fell into them, embracing him tightly for the many, many years of lack of emotion and any affection his puppeteer had rid him of.

"You never knew about her, Carlisle, but she was my wife!"

"Yes, I just found out—"

"AND I LOVED HER, MORE THAN ANYTHING!"

I said nothing.

"And because of him, Aro…" Marcus fell into another instant of silence, words unable to express how wretched and used he was feeling. I could think of only a few words.

"Marcus, I'm so sorry."

******************************Jeanine***********************************

Sneaking out had been simple with my enhanced speed. Finding the one I wanted, however, was proving to be somewhat difficult.

_Where are you, you cowardly snake?_

I'd seen Caius disappear almost as soon as the wolves had entered. I'd only followed a second later…to find him nowhere in sight. With the various vampire and wolf smells it was almost impossible to find the one I needed: Caius.

I wasted no time, dashing forward and peering into every closed door, every dark corner. It was a bit difficult with the Cullen family still spread out disabling guards. I knew Edward knew I meant no harm, but as for the rest of them…I couldn't take my chances. I wound through various passageways, twice checking up on the pavilion to see if he'd managed to get outside yet, but he was nowhere. I felt my throat burning, burning with the desire to kill the perpetrator behind it all, even behind Jane. If it weren't for him the Volturri would have never even gone to my home, Jane would have never turned me, and my brothers and mother would have never died.

He was not going to escape, and that was a promise.

I turned another corner, still no sign of the inhumane monster, but stopped right in my tracks with the victorious smile that halted a further step.

"Going somewhere, Jeanine?" Jane asked, her smile broadening. Unlike the few tattered guard member's I'd passed, she was untouched, her black robe smooth with hardly the offer of even a crease. Her eyes glowed maliciously with apprehension, apprehension that I was alone, and that my strength was still no match for her vile gift…

But if I was going to go down, I would do so with some kind of dignity: no more cowering under this demon's hand!

"You know, Caius will get away, Jeanine, as will I," she was saying, stalking ever closer. "And don't even think," she added, "that just because you're dead I will have forgotten about your poor little sister and father—"

"They have nothing to do with this!" I retorted angrily, my teeth beginning to drip with an overwhelming amount of venom.

"Oh but they do!" she continued excitedly, waving off my interruption as easily as if I were a human. "Don't you see the perfection in it all? The beauty? How even after all your tireless efforts in keeping them alive, after all the 'bad' as you put it, you've done; all of it done in vain."

I snarled, eager to put my hands around the wretched devil from hell and twist off her pretty little head. A sudden movement caught my attention from behind her, and it took all my concentration to avoid making anything obvious. I taunted her instead.

"Die in vain, eh? Sure, with your cheap little tricks anyone is prone to die. Tell me, Jane, why you don't fight me yourself, hand to hand—"

But she was already laughing, giggling wickedly with the suggestion. "Hand to hand? I'm not an idiot, Jeanine, so don't you dare try any of this 'honor' and 'dignity' crap on me. No, I'm no fool. But enough talk, you've already lived longer than I planned."

She grinned, and I braced myself, knowing what would happen with that single look, that single word.

"Goodbye, Jeanine," she said, her eyes piercing as if through me as she spoke, "_Pain_."

I closed my eyes, allowing myself to grin broadly before her attack hit…or didn't.

I could hear Jane's unnecessary intake of breath as her directed blow veered completely off course, could hear the flutter of her eyelids as they half-shut, narrowing in concentration as she tried again.

"PAIN!"

…but again, nothing happened.

For a long second we both stood there, my grin growing wider…and then she made to run.

"Oh no you don't," interrupted another voice, one I had only recently come to recognize. I opened my eyes slowly to witness the glorious sight before me.

"YOU!" Jane sputtered angrily, her eyes shooting daggers at the pair that stood before her. I took another step forward in their direction, glancing once at the other two before focusing back on my soon-to-be victim.

"I can't thank you enough, Isabella, and Edward," I said in their direction, "I trust you received my message then?"

Edward Cullen gave me a nod and a brief smile. "Yes, an anonymous tip to a feigned fiasco back in Spain for the majority of the guard to attend to," he said smoothly, "it made my family and the pack's entrance much easier. Plus, in this way not _everyone_," here he turned a meaningful glance in the small girl's direction, "had to die."

Isabella shot me a pointed look. "Yes, it did turn out to be very helpful indeed. But tell me, Jeanine," she glared at Jane, "would you like our assistance cleaning up here, or—"

I interrupted her midsentence, my lips widening into what I was sure was nothing short of psychotic. "Oh no, that won't be necessary," I smiled, turning towards the now terrified Jane before me, "this one is all mine."

And without any further adieu, I charged.

**************************Edward********************************

It was a gruesome sight, even for us vampires…though given her past I could not blame her.

Jeanine had completely destroyed Jane, not only limb from limb, but every piece of skin had been clearly ripped off, her body shattered and hardly even recognizable as anything remotely solid. There was no doubt in my mind that Jane deserved every bit of pain she'd received, and yet it was still not enough, would never be enough.

Jeanine knew this, and even after her hasty revenge, she made it a point to spit onto the mangled mess that had once been Jane. It was all I could to calmly remind her of another subject.

"Jeanine," I spoke quietly. She flicked her gaze towards mine, the immense hatred and disgust still more than evident behind her bloodthirsty eyes. It took only one word to bring her back.

"Caius."

She blinked, nodding in unison as she swiftly took the lead. "Right." She turned and added, "Leave him to me, I'm sure you have some things to take care of back in the courtroom with…well, with whoever is still alive."

Bella made to retort but I swiftly brought my hand up to stop her. "Jeanine," I said again. She stopped, glancing at my knowing tone. "Caius is down the left hallway behind the second to last door. He's preparing to escape. I understand your…eagerness, to annihilate him, but surely," I frowned, "you must understand ours as well."

She took it in for a second before nodding with the same crazed grin. "Alright, let's get the bastard."

* * *

Ok, so you know what's coming up next as far as Caius is concerned. _Take that you undeserving coward!_ Heehee! Aside from Jane (don't you just want to get up and start singing 'high ho, the witch is dead, the wicked witch…' *don't know the words ^.^ *), there wasn't too much action—and to be honest there won't be much with Caius either, three against one—not to mention two of which are newborns and one who can read minds—not looking good lol. But if it's any consolation, the next chapter will reveal what it is to become of the Volturri, the Cullens, and even the wolf pack. I may throw in some 'funnies' to fill up the chapter a bit but those are usually well-received. THEN, can you guess what happens after that?...Jake and Nessie's REAL reunion! AAAAHHH! I can't wait, seriously, these past chapters have been so difficult for me to write without rushing too much, but alas, one more chapter to go and we get to another one of my favorite moments. In case you missed the whole Edward&Jeanine moment, remember back in the courtroom how Edward seemed to pick up something from Jeanine? Well she pretty much got rid of a lot of the Volturri guard before the trial, assuming there was bound to be some kind of intervention (whether from the wolves or the Cullens); she let Edward know this with her thoughts, so when it turned out to be true, Edward realized she could be trusted. I'd like to thank you all for every lovely review and never ending support. As you know, the story is coming to an end and I couldn't have imagined a better audience, I really do love you all! *sob* ok, well, no need for premature crying lol, there is still several chapters to go, please review! Thanks.


	72. Amends

Love, love, LOVE! All the reviews and support *tear* you guys sure know how to make a girl happy :) This is the last chapter before the big NESSIE/JAKE reunion! Yay! Oh and also, I will repeat this one more time (particularly for anonymous reviewer ELLE.X): if you happen to review anonymously, there is NO WAY for me to contact you unless you literally write out your email address or something; HOWEVER, fanfiction CENSORS email addresses, so if you do write it, do so with spaces and actual words (ex. (at) for the symbol 'at'), otherwise it will not show up and I won't be able to contact you at all. I really do hate not replying to peoples questions/etc so if you really don't want to get an account here then work with me! Lol, anyway, without further adieu here is the next chapter. Read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

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***********************Caius**************************************

_Even if he did decide to help, Demetri will undoubtedly be killed. No, this will be the last they see of me…_

I began the delicate process of opening the secret escape door without setting off any alarms. It was amazing how prepared the little witch had been, she was probably on her way over here right now.

_Not that I plan to let her leave after how she betrayed me…_

I couldn't be sure whether Aro or Marcus would survive the next moments, and even if one miraculously did, I knew my place here in Volterra was no longer safe. Leaving was the only option, and one I was more than willing to forego.

The first bolt slid out easily once tapered with correctly, and I began the meticulous task of unlocking the right combination. _Ingenious really, who would've thought a simple human technology would be my ticket out of here… _

With a final click the heavy door swung open, alarms immediately disengaged. I took a step back to survey my success.

_Goodbye Volterra._

"Goodbye is right."

The voice made me jump, whirling around towards its owner. My lips pulled up instinctively, defensively, with the three furious vampires before me.

"You really thought you'd get away that easily, didn't you?" Edward Cullen smirked, his eyebrow quirking menacingly. The two women on either side of him began to crouch, an identical sneer of victor in their faces, pale brown and ghostly white.

"Three against one," I lashed back, "Carlisle would be most disappointed with you, Edward Cullen. That hardly seems fai—"

"_Fair_!" bit out his wife, a dangerous beauty suddenly much closer than I would've liked. "You want to talk about _fair_, you hypocritical jerk! Do you think it was _fair_ the way you treated my daughter? Do you think it was _fair_ the way you so eagerly suggested killing Oliver?"

I took a step back, the ferocious lioness in front of me growling with my lack of an audible answer. The retreat was hopeless, however; Jeanine was suddenly grabbing hold of my arm in her iron grip, her unique yet somewhat disgusting scent emitting in streamed lines against my neck. I shuddered involuntarily.

"_Fair_ the way my family was so ruthlessly murdered?" she hissed, a bare whisper hardly visible to the most attuned ears. I could feel her murderous eyes upon me, emblazing through my impenetrable skin as if it were but smoke, an easy feat for an almighty vampire.

I couldn't answer, couldn't move, the reality of what my fate was to become was too real, too solid, too—

"_Too bad_," finished Edward Cullen, an impossible fire in his now waning golden eyes. He motioned briefly towards his wife, who immediately flew to my other arm and grabbed hold.

"On the count of three," she said softly, almost seductively, nothing sensual but crazed, possessed with obsession.

"One," breathed Edward.

"Two," said Jeanine.

"AAAGGH!" I screamed as Isabella Cullen suddenly ripped away from my shoulder down, causing me to stagger onto my knees. "PLEASE! HAVE MERC—"

"Oops, got ahead of myself," she laughed haughtily, airily, ignoring my cried pleas. Jeanine joined in through glowing eyes, whilst squeezing me even tighter.

_This was it, this was really it…_

"I do apologize," Edward chuckled, "my wife can be a bit impatient when it comes to anything she's passionate about." He winked at her before facing me once again. His legs crouched ever slightly as he looked me one last time directly in the eyes.

"Edward, please—" I began.

But the last voice I heard was from his pretty wife.

"Three."

The girls tore in simultaneously from the sides and Edward Cullen lunged forward, the final picture of his handsome face covered in bloodthirsty revenge and flames…

*************************Jacob**********************************

"You got to be kidding me!" I was still recovering, not from battle scars or wounded ribs, but from—

"I'm sorry, Jacob, but the pack _did_ kill quite a number of guard members. Surely you must see how lenient Marcus is being considering—"

"_But Carlisle_!"

"I assure you, Jacob, Marcus is nothing like the few moments you may remember him as. He is a new man and will rule justly. Nessie will be—"

"So I STILL don't get to see her!"

Carlisle sighed. "You will as soon as this entire ordeal is behind us. Now please, take the pack and wait for us up top. It will make it easier on the remaining members and Marcus to rule out any sentences against you all."

I growled. "Well, in our defense, they _did_ try killing one of our own. Oliver—"

"Is still alive and well," Carlisle finished. "He will be the only one allowed to stay considering his role in the situation."

I resisted the urge to throw a tantrum—unfortunately that might have looked a bit bad pathetic, Alpha's don't whine—and instead closed my eyes in frustration. I knew there was no winning here, and perhaps it wouldn't be too bad, I'd get to see Nessie in the end after all…another question came to mind.

"What's up with that, anyway? You know, why is Oliver so involved with this whole mess?"

I expected another sigh, another pity smile, but instead—

"You mean you don't—oh, well…" Carlisle seemed lost for words, even looking away in what I knew too well of an expression…guilt…

_I don't know what?_

Before I could utter my suspicions, however, Esme intervened out of nowhere. "Oh nothing to worry about, Jacob. They simply mistook him for Nessie's imprint that's all."

_Mistook—imprint? Oliver?_

"But why would—"

"Jacob, we really should get going," Sam was saying, having appeared by my side. "Some of the guard members that left for the false claim in Spain are starting to arrive and we wouldn't want to be getting _sidetracked_."

I nodded in agreement, motioning to the pack to go ahead of me. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed the slight flight of tension from Carlisle, and even Esme's, stance, almost as if they were relieved about something…

_Hmmm_…but I had no time to dawdle. With a quick nod in their direction, I turned and followed Sam. There was something I wasn't being told but…well, as long as I got to finally see my Nessie nothing else mattered.

**********************Marcus************************************

"We are all here then?" I asked one last time. Edward and Isabella Cullen had just entered, a brilliant smile adorning the beautiful couple.

Carlisle rose and replied. "Yes, that is the rest of our family, and the wolves have already deserted to avoid any further unfortunate confrontations, as you asked."

I nodded graciously. "Good, good. Yes, it is a shame to have lost a good portion of the guard, and some of our strongest too…" I paused, searching for the right words without seeming too relieved. "But then again, it also quite fortunate many of them happened to be away at the time."

For a brief second I could've sworn Edward Cullen smiled knowingly, but it could have been a mistake: another glance only showed a serious face, waiting for what I was to reveal concerning not only the fate of his daughter but that of the entire Volturri.

"Renesmee Cullen," I turned my attention to the young girl in Carlisle's wife's arms. She peered at me through wide eyes, cast over with a sadness no young one should be drowned in. It reminded me of my own tragedy in a way.

"You admit to the murder of former guard member, Gianna Mendez?"

"Yes."

"But you also claim that it was a crime done in the face of saving a loved one, two in fact?"

"Yes, my best friends, Tom and Oliver."

"Oliver, the boy standing beside you, who was mistakenly thought to be your imprint, and yet you felt the need to save him to the extent of killing, an extreme action for an extreme bond. I have never been wrong concerning relationships, but there is a first for everything. Am I right to assume he is indeed your imprint?"

"No," she nodded, the briefest and almost guilty glance towards the Quileute boy beside her, "Oliver's not my imprint, but he _is_ my best friend, and I love him very much, more than enough to kill for. And if I had to, I'd do it again."

It was a simple statement, straight to the point, but the fire that burned behind those words was one of indecipherable magnitude, an impossible passion to compete with. I could see just how strong the little hybrid was, how brave and loyal. An impenetrable and undying wall of ardor. This was a good girl, a girl who would only kill for something worth dying for, in this case perhaps the most worthy and logical reason for one to risk anything at all.

Love.

And it wasn't even a romantic love, no, it was the love of friendship, family. Loyalty at its highest forte, a fierce protectiveness for the ones she cared about, the ones that made life what it was: life.

And the kind of love Aro had merely spat on for his own greed.

_Didyme_…Didyme had lived for making people happy, love being the ultimate gift…_if she were still here, she would've been proud of someone like you, Renesmee…_

No, the girl before me had committed no crime, but a service, a reminder of what it truly means to fight for your loved ones.

"That's quite a statement, Miss Cullen," I replied, but I could already feel my mouth curving upward into a smile, "and I would like to reply foremost with an apology, for the undoubtedly wretched state of mind you, Oliver, and your family have been through during this whole mess. My brothers, Aro, no longer with us, and Caius, who I know, with an unrelenting confidence, will have disappeared by now; I cannot speak for their actions, but I would like to apologize for their crude behavior as well. They were unjustified in their sentences and actions and I can only hope the Volturri will benefit from their eternal absence. I will make it my life mission to rule the existence of vampires justly and correctly. I would ask my dear friend, Carlisle, to stand by my side," I eyed him knowingly, sweeping my arm in gesture across the golden eyed pairs behind him, "but I know it would be a vain attempt. Nothing is more important, after all, than family."

I paused, aiming a direct glance into the small girl's brown eyes. "With that said, I hereby denounce any charges or implications towards the murder of Gianna Mendez on the grounds of self-defense and love. Renesmee Cullen, you are free to go."

For a second no one moved.

And then she tilted her head and motioned to her right. "What about the wolves, sir? And Oliver?"

I blinked. "Oliver has done no harm, my dear, so he is free to go as well. As for the wolves, they did kill some of my guards…" her face faltered. I quickly sent her a reassuring smile. "But as far as I'm concerned, they seemed to have disappeared, have they not?"

The beginnings of a small smile erupted on her beautiful face, along with the knowing and appreciative nods from the rest of the Cullen family. Even Oliver began grinning.

"Thus, I find it out of my power to sentence any kind of punishment, so long of course, that they don't kill any vampire in my plain sight," I added, with a wink in her direction, "not that I plan on leaving Volterra anytime soon."

"Thank you, sir." She beamed, the entire room lighting up with that smile. Isabella and Edward seemed to melt with it, the rest of the family breathing identical sighs of relief and joy. Yes, I could definitely see how Renesmee Cullen was the pride and joy, tears and laughter, of this united family.

"Well, I guess we'll be going then," broke in Carlisle, coming over to the front. The Cullen's began their hasty retreat out, though I couldn't blame them; they'd been through enough. I looked into Carlisle's compassionate face.

"You are sure, Carlisle?" I asked of him once more. He merely nodded once before grinning in answer.

"Absolutely, dear friend. My place is with my family, but thank you."

I brought him into a tight hug, relishing in his sincerity and kindness. "Well you can't blame an old fool for trying," I chuckled, "but your spot will always be open here should you ever change your mind."

He hugged me tighter then pulled back. "Good bye, Marcus."

"Farewell."

I watched as the last of them, Edward and Isabella, exited the room, almost nostalgically. They were nothing to me, really, and yet I felt as if they were the closest to humanity I'd been with for over a thousand years. Yes, things were definitely going to change around here, I was going to make sure of that. I could only hope I was successful, considering especially that I was not only half a guard short, but now the sole leader of the Volturri.

"Oh I wouldn't worry about that," a high, musical voice suddenly interrupted my thoughts. I turned slightly surprised, not having noticed the small pixie-like vampire that had stayed behind just another moment more.

Alice Cullen smiled at me mischievously, a twinkle in her intelligent eyes. "You're going to be a wonderful leader, Marcus. Trust me."

* * *

What a happy ending for the Volturri! Lol, at this point it does kind of suck for Marcus, not only has he lost the strongest of his guard (Jane, Alec, Felix, Demetri, Renata, Chelsea, even the wives) but he's left with only a few of his guard—which we will assume are the ones that took off to Spain with Jeanine's little 'tip'—and he's all alone :( But as Alice says, he will be fine, and we all know she can be trusted ;) Anyway, next chapter will be up Wednesday, and guess what's coming up…JAKE AND NESSIE! WHOOOOO! So please review until then, I'm going to make the next chapter gooood! At least I hope you think so. Did anyone catch Jake's 'Oliver' inquiry? Since so many have asked what he's going to do when he finds out...hehe. Thanks again for all the love, love you all more though!


	73. Perfection

No need to make you wait longer lol.

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

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************************Oliver*********************************

Edward managed to snatch up a robe for me to wear on the way up—despite Emmett's constant jeers of 'But you look good in a loincloth!'—and I was ever grateful to have a more sheltering cover. The way out was quicker than I'd remembered it being coming in, though I suspected we may have been travelling quicker than usual.

Hell, I never wanted to be back in this place again.

Renesmee was no longer by my side but somewhere in the lead, Edward and Bella hovering over her like the overprotective parents they were sure to morph ten times more into given current events. All around me the Cullens laughed and smiled, and Esme squeezed my shoulder in reassurance.

Everything was going to be ok, so why was I still feeling unsettled?

I was startled by the ray of moonlight that suddenly filtered into the darkness when Emmett pushed open a huge set of doors. It was night outside and yet considerably brighter than this black hole of a place. I eagerly filed out with the Cullens, falling back slightly as I recalled why things weren't as ok as everyone depicted they were.

Jacob.

I knew I should be terrified for my life, maybe even run around screaming like a little kid—_oh yeah, that's really going to get him to feel sorry for you, stupid_—but...the only thing I could really feel terrible about was one thing.

Renesmee.

She was no longer mine, had never really been mine, but for some reason, after tonight…after they finally saw each other for good…it just made the realization more official, more real.

I _was_ terrified, terrified of inevitable loss.

**********************Nessie**************************************

As soon as I stepped out into the moonlit pavilion a horde of shirtless guys came running in our direction, engulfing Oliver and I into a clean sweep of hugs and slobbery kisses.

"Renesmee!" Seth laughed happily, lifting me off my feet and swinging me before bringing me into a tight hug. "We've missed you girl!"

I hugged back, the warmth of his hot skin a comfortable relief. "Seth!" I laughed back, "I missed you all too!"

"_Oliver, you stupid, inconsiderate, moron_!" I heard beside me, a familiar voice, breaking with emotion as he hugged his younger brother with fierce intensity, "Do you know how worried mom and dad have been? How worried _I've_ been?"

I turned in the direction of my favorite twins, barely catching sight of Tom's hasty attempt at wiping away frantic tears. Oliver hugged him back ferociously, his eyes shut tight in veiled harmony. Without warning Tom swiftly brought out his arm for mine, pulling me into the duo's tight embrace.

"Come here, Renesmee," he managed to sputter out between gasps, his rough hands bringing me headfirst into his other shoulder, "and for the record, you're a moron too, scaring us all like that."

I laughed between sobs, reveling in the thrill of seeing my other best friend after such a horrible mess. "S-sorry, T-Tom," I said, a mixture of breaking laughter and crying getting in the way.

He gave us one final squeeze before finally pulling away, his broad grin as bright as the moonlight. "Nah, don't worry about it. You saved my life remember?"

I rolled my eyes as he continued talking.

"Damnit! I would've returned the favor too, you know, rescued you myself but Jacob and Sam insisted I stay up here, away from the battle—"

And I could no longer contain the question I'd wanted to ask as soon as I'd noticed his absence. "Where is Jake?"

For a second no one answered…then daddy stepped out of the throng of vampires and wolves. A fleeting moment of panic overcame me with the silence and I looked into my father's eyes pleadingly. I'd made it this far, it just couldn't be over now, it couldn't—

_Please don't say something bad—_

"Nothing bad has happened, sweetheart," he smiled at me. "We just wanted to save the best for last is al—"

"Yeah because once I get a hold of you I'm not letting go, Ness."

And there it was, the most beautiful voice in the world, the most sensational and homely perfume in existence.

I turned around slowly, eager yet somehow already stunned with what was finally happening, what miracle awaited, the answer to every question and prayer standing in front of me with a dazzling smile and big dark, chocolate eyes.

"Jake…" I whispered, a wisp of breath hardly recognizable as speech.

"So unless you all are done with her I—"

But I had already ran towards him, leaping swiftly into his ready, secure embrace, the one place I would forever be safe so long as he never let go, the one place I knew I could stay in for all eternity and longer, never tiring or despairing in these two sturdy arms, this snug and sanctified chest. I wrapped myself around him, uncaring of what it looked like to anyone, arms, legs, all swathed ridiculously around my Jacob Black, to the point of possible pain. Jake only hugged me tighter, the wetness on the back of my neck revealing cascading tears as he nuzzled deeper into my hair, his delicious scent consuming my entire world in that one joyous moment.

I pulled back slightly to look him in the eyes, those divine deep eyes, to tell him not to cry, that things would be ok now, that we were here finally, together. "Oh Jake—"

And then he kissed me.

And the entire universe dissipated.

It could have been a second, it could have been eons, time had no place, no meaning or vague definition for this inexplicable moment. There was no such thing as Jacob Black or Renesmee Cullen; only _us_. Existence was an abstract concept, one hardly comparable to the life and vigor running through his electrifying touch, soft but pronounced caresses that sent shivers down my spine, hurricanes awhirl in my stomach, the unthinkable to my mind, breaking the fragile boundaries of long overdue inhibitions, wanting feelings. His lips met mine and stars everywhere imploded into the millions of falling streams meant to make wishes come true. Mountains became plains and oceans became rivers, the impossible became possible and every color became gold.

Lips molded deliciously into mine, fitting and enveloping, the warmth of his tongue stroking tenderly the opening of my parted lips, delving into the very midst of my soul, my existence, the strong muscle humming in unison with the infinite emotions and revelations blossoming between the two of us into a single entity of desire, zeal, providence, and immaculate love. It was gentle, telling and passionate, desperate yet poetic. The fate of the rest of our lives purred out from that kiss, warm and sweet, thrilling and mind numbing. Feverish skin burned against my own as rough, strong fingers stroked the small of my back, the curve of my neck, the smooth of my cheek, and against the corners of my parted lips, strong yet soft, the most soothing feeling, the most befitting, the only touch that ever really belonged.

Everything was put into that kiss, that intimate touch, and my entire being swelled with the fact, my mind reeling in blissful euphoria, and body expanding into a giant mass of air, floating away into the haven that was Jake: I could fly if I tried, swim forever without breathing, jump over any obstacle, I could do anything. It was beyond powerful, beguiling and full of its own ecstasy, a reach beyond the stars, over the highest wall, record home-run World Series kind of kiss. This was the kiss I'd been meant for, the kiss I'd been waiting for all my life, the kiss I could die and come back remembering clear as day, it was THE kiss. Nothing was amiss, nothing too wet, nothing too fast, and nothing too soon, there had never been such a moment.

There was only perfection.

_All of these incredible things, with one kiss, imagine what more…_

And then it was over too soon.

"N-no, need m-more," I managed to breath out, instinctively pulling his face down towards mine in anticipation, eyes completely unfocused and breathing willed unnecessary, but he stopped me abruptly, his warm, brown eyes meeting mine with a seamless glow.

"In a second, sweetie," he answered, his resonant voice soft and musical, "I need to apologize first."

_Apologize?_

He smiled, but immediately shifted into a more serious expression. "Yes, for several things actually. First, for leaving you to begin with."

"But Alice ordered you to—" I started to protest, but he quickly silenced me with a gentle stroke of his calloused fingers against my cheek, a magnetic buzz from the mere contact.

"It doesn't matter, I—I should have never left you, least without saying goodbye, if I would've known…" his eyes darted for a second, the months of pain and misery dancing to life tauntingly through dark irises.

I placed my hand on his cheek. _Jake, don't…_

My inner thoughts resulted in another breathtaking smile, and he squeezed my shoulder affectionately. "Well, you get the point," he said lightly. "Second," he continued in the same somber tone, "for failing to rescue you when I had the chance."

He shot me a warning glance before I could begin to defend the falsity of that statement, but I did anyway.

_Even mom couldn't save me, Jake, that wasn't your fault at all!_

"And finally," he said, this time with the undertone of stating the most important item on an agenda, the one that really counted, the one everyone in an assembly would leave remembering notwithstanding. "I'm so sorry, Nessie, for not keeping my promise."

_Promise…?_ "What promise?"

He flashed a brilliant smile at me, bringing me even impossibly closer to his chest as our foreheads met in the middle, his sweet breath misting the contours of reality, blurring the colors of existence.

"Don't you remember? What was it I told you I would do the moment I saw you?"

And for some reason I blushed, remembering his exact words…

"_I promise that I will return to you, my beautiful and perfect Renesmee," he said, "and the first thing I'm going to do when I see you is give you the kiss I've been waiting all my life to give to the girl of my dreams."_

"I—"

"I'm a bit late, you see," he admitted sheepishly, holding me tighter still, "so I'm sorry for—"

"Jake?" I interrupted.

He stopped midsentence, his mouth partially open. "—for—yeah, Ness?"

"Shut up and kiss me again."

And he did.

* * *

Hello again! So uh…what did you think of their first kiss? I admit it isn't too long, but then again, it is just ONE kiss, which leaves so much room for later, if you know what I mean, hem hem hem…But no, seriously, this is a moment I've been waiting for and I would hate to have not brought it justice, what I was aiming for: sensual, sweet, nothing too 'OMG take me!' that will be for later ;)...hope it was ok...PLEASE let me know what you all think, review! I am somewhat satisfied with it but—as usual—not completely so; I am my hardest critic :( The next chapter will be up soon (Saturday hopefully) and will concern an imprint! So please review until then, thanks so much all, love you!


	74. Imprint

Hello all! Thanks so much for all the love :) It means the world to me. I do need to announce that I've changed the rating to this story from T to M. Some of you may think it unnecessary—especially considering there are only about five chapters left lol—but after finding out a ten year old is reading this…well, I'd rather be overcautious than under, so just because it's rated M now does not mean it's going to turn into some kind of porn fest. There will be some 'steaminess' but nothing too explicit—notice I said 'too' explicit—if anything, something similar to the chapter 'Beginning of Hormones' with the sensuality of the previous chapter 'Perfection.' Hope this doesn't bother anyone…Here's the next chapter, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

*****************************Alice******************************

"Now, now, Alice," he spoke softly, leaning forward so that our faces were aligned, "things are good now. There's no reason to—"

"But I still can't see anything!" I pouted, ignoring his advances—as tempting as they were. "There are too many wolves for my visions to clear up, I keep seeing these blurry images back at home, but that's just it! Nothing but fog!"

I could feel the immediate sensation of calm washing over, and though I was grateful, it didn't change the fact.

"I think I'm—I'm going for a walk," I sighed resignedly, moving briskly towards the door. Jasper looked hurt, and so I quickly added. "You can come with me, Jazz," with a smile.

He was already holding the door open for me as we stepped out of one of many hotel doors and into the fresh breeze of morning in Volterra. I took his hand in mine and we moved gracefully, taking in the sights of this ancient setting brick by brick wall, cobblestone by cobblestone. It was still too early for the sun to be up and likewise its residents; Jasper and I walked slowly, almost as slow as humans, and it was nice. The fresh breeze was summer against our cool skin, darkness clashing elatedly with the whites of our bodies, the secrets of our existence. It was good to know we'd soon be on our way home, back to Forks, with ALL of our family.

"Alice," Jasper brought me out of my reverie, and I smiled at him, knowing without visions what he was going to tell me.

"You really are too beautiful my impish pixie, did you know that?" he spoke smoothly, as smooth as silk, and I spun playfully from a pirouette into his arms.

"I know that silly," I teased, a chaste kiss on his nose, "but I'm even luckier."

He brought me closer with a roll of his eyes, our bodies hidden beneath the shadows of darkness and the grey clouds of the narrow pathways, staring deeply into mine with undivided attention. Moments for Jasper and I were always like this, a deep understanding, words and actions never required, we just _were_.

He leaned down ever so slightly, the familiar mist hazing over his golden-black eyes, his perfect lips arching in our routine dance.

Actions weren't required, but definitely fun.

He smiled against me as I leaned more into the kiss, my own eyes closing halfway into the ray of light covered in black surroundings.

And suddenly he growled.

I reacted instantly, eyes slamming open and limbs ready to pounce without hesitation.

"Don't move, Alice," he ordered, already embracing me protectively. He knew my visions were clouded here, that a surprise attack would be just that, a surprise. We could see it now, a figure clad in black not fifty feet away from us, dark yet pale hands hastily taken under the dark robe to meld deeper into the shadowed walkway...and staring right into the window of one of the hotel rooms.

I focused on the figure, trying despite the blurriness to see something, _anything_.

"Jazz, I can't—"

He shushed me with a pale finger, his eyes discerning with thought.

_What is_—and then I smelled it.

The sweet scent of vampire, and an underlying odor of…_woods_?

I took a whiff into the night and sure enough, it was there, a faint woodsy, musky smell, very weak but audible amidst the generic vampire trademark…and I immediately relaxed.

There was only one vampire that could smell like that.

"She's scared, it seems, I can feel it coming off her quite clearly, and nervous," Jasper said softly. He turned to me. "I don't think she means any harm, but for the sake of—Alice, _what_ are you doing?"

I was already out of his arms, a wide smile on my face. "It's Jeanine, Jasper. Edward told me what she did for us, she's one of the good guys."

"Alice," he said warningly, his battle paranoia jumping into play, but I easily shook it off.

"It'll be fine, Jazz," I assured him, slinking closer to the hooded figure. For some strange reason she still hadn't noticed us, simply kept staring into the window as if spellbound.

_How strange, being a newborn she should've caught sight of us first, with our smell at least…_

I edged closer, curiosity overwhelming every other instinct. A strong hand stopped me halfway. I turned, annoyed with the blonde that looked down at me anxiously.

"Jasper, let—"

"Let's just sneak up from behind, at least, not directly to her face," he demanded. I began to retort but he easily cut me off. "Your visions are not dependable at the moment. I'm not taking any chances."

I sighed and tightened my lips, letting him lead me by the hand around the other side of the path we'd been headed on. I didn't really see the point in approaching her from behind, it was the same as from the side…but of course, Jasper was the strategist with these kinds of things.

We moved swiftly and silently, as stealthy as cats, and it wasn't until we were within twenty feet behind her that I let out a small gasp.

I could see a vague reflection of the girl emitting off of the glass pane window, only…it was nothing like the girl I'd had in mind. Edward had described her as broken, a girl with a tragic past, tragedy that plagued every day of her immortal life, that burned in her somber eyes, never to be really existing again.

The eyes we saw, however, were anything but dead…wide and shocked, unblinking with wonder and awe, as if really _seeing_ for the first time, really breathing. I recalled immediately a pair of eyes with a similar look and turned a smug expression towards my gorgeous confused husband.

"Harmless," was all I said.

Jasper looked confused. "But her emotions, they're…"

I pushed him back so that we were hidden behind another wall. "Happy?" I offered. He shook his head.

"Not exactly, more like…" and then he looked down at me, the corners of his perfect lips curving upward into the smile I adored. "Oh, I see."

I squealed and kissed him briefly, reveling in the additional happy ending we had just encountered. Jasper laughed. "Well, seeing as how Jeanine's completely preoccupied, I suppose we need not worry about her seeing us."

I shook my head. "Isn't it fantastic, though?"

"It is. Surprising too, I wonder how this will affect the others…Which one was it, by the way?"

I smiled, pulling him down another path that would take us back to our own room. "You didn't see him?" I laughed, recalling the identical pair of eyes that looked back at Jeanine through the lucid window, mesmerized as if they had only just discovered the sun, the purpose of their existence.

"It was Tom."

****************************Oliver*************************************

Vampires…werewolves…I was pretty sure I was on my way to becoming a zombie right now, where would the myths to reality end?

It wasn't fair, how could it be when the meaning of my existence was in the arms of another? Screw imprinting! There would never be another Renesmee Cullen, so what was the point?

I was lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling completely immersed into the next Great Depression and dried up out of tears. Thanks to the Cullens Tom and I had an entire room to ourselves with unlimited room service—which Tom had severely abused—and after a buffet of t-bone steaks, scalloped potatoes, chicken marsala, French fries, cheesesticks, four pizzas and about five liters of soda, I still couldn't find it in me to cheer up.

Renesmee and…Jacob…_kissing_…

It was my worst nightmare come true, and the icing on top of it all: it had been one hell of a kiss. Anyone would've been blind to not have seen the shooting stars that sprang out from the moment their lips met, it was nothing short of magical…

_Magical! What the hell is wrong with you, Oliver?_

I shook my head in disgust; words like 'magical' hadn't been in my vocabulary as of before, my brain was _clearly_ beginning to disintegrate along with everything else…

I sighed, looking over to my brother for comfort. _Well, at least I got you bro…_

"Hey, Tom, you still awake?" I called out into the darkness, though we really couldn't call it 'dark.' We'd left the curtains open and the aura of a full moon shot right through the middle of the room…_how fitting_, I thought wryly. Tom didn't answer and so I looked over to my twin's bed, expecting the slobbery mess I usually witnessed upon Tom's deep, sleep state, but—

He was sitting up, eyes cast straight out the window as if completely captivated. I rose up on my elbow for a better view.

_What the_—and then I saw _her_.

Jeanine…staring right through the clear glass at…Tom, but there was something about the way she…stared back, as if…

"_Oh no_!" I groaned, throwing myself back onto my pillow with a flop, not even trying to hide my wail of anguish—Tom wouldn't have noticed if an earthquake hit us right now—and covering my face with frustration.

_It's been decided, you're going to die alone with a billion cats…_another groan: _I don't even like cats!_

_Would the misery never end?_

*****************************Jeanine***********************************

_So, this is what imprinting feels like…_

I had to say: I definitely didn't hate it.

Tom looked at me as if I were the most beautiful creature on the planet, as if I could commit no wrong, as if his main purpose in being here at all was for my protection, for my love.

Love?

_Is that what this is? But I barely met the guy!_

_And? It's obvious you belong with him. You're his imprint, so it must be love!_

The newfound emotions continued arguing amongst themselves, but everything was completely forgotten when _he_ shyly took my hand into his own, a heated exchange of contact, ice with fire.

Is that why I find myself melting so quickly?

Despite the rationalities my brain continued to scream, I heard myself utter something completely inappropriate.

"Can you just kiss me already?"

My eyes widened in surprise, in horror…_you idiot! Alright, so you say you're in love but what if he says n—_

Feverish lips danced on mine, and there was nothing smelly about this little wolf, it complemented my own unique scent, as if completing the missing half of my awkward role in the vampire world. I could smell his blood, just as good, as enticing, but there was too much at risk for me to even consider taking a bite.

I kissed back, gently so as not to scare this miracle before me.

"This is going to be kind of weird, huh?" he grinned as he pulled away slightly, his voice—one I'd only ever heard from afar—husky and wanting. If I was human I knew I'd be blushing madly right now.

"It is," I answered, the same haze blurring my vision into a million stars. "But, we'll make it work, Tom."

_Tom…what a beautiful name…pull it together, Jeanine!...How could I have not seen it before?_

"Well, actually," cut in another voice, "we were kind of wondering the same thing."

I hastily broke away from the close contact. Much to my satisfaction, Tom looked disappointed. Edward only smiled at us, a spark in his golden eyes. Beside him Jacob continued grinning stupidly.

_I don't know what Renesmee sees in him, he's so goofy-looking—_

Edward burst out laughing and shook his head. Jacob turned with an interested 'What's so funny?' but Edward merely turned back towards me.

"Carlisle and I were discussing it, and we think the reason you took so long to imprint is because though you were around him on several occasions, you never actually looked him in the eyes, you were always watching from a distance—"

"And it would also explain why they never caught your scent, perhaps," offered Carlisle, appearing by the duo. "Of course, your unique scent may have been the cause, but if you smelled alright to Tom, then that would have greatly decreased your chances at being caught."

"Though it would've saved us a lot of time if I HAD caught her," Tom mumbled beside me, his warm breath advancing onto the corner of my earlobe. It took every memory of rigorous Volturri training to keep my emotions in check, to appear normal…and still I couldn't help but let out a small gasp: Tom was just so…_riveting_!

"Either way," Jacob continued, "I think you'll really like Forks, Jeanine. And don't worry, since you're about eighteen—"

"Seventeen, actually," I interrupted, then added quietly, "I was on the verge of eighteen before this happened."

Jacob just grinned. "Even better. Tom here is probably about fifteen right now, but I bet he'll be at your age in no time. We cater to you, that's the way this imprint stuff works."

I nodded. "I get it. So then how old would that make you? Considering Renesmee is…wait, how old is she?"

And the grin quickly disappeared.

Jacob shifted, and whether by accident or on purpose he was suddenly two feet farther from Edward. Edward's mouth thinned out as he shot a quick glare in the Alpha's direction.

"Well, given recent events, I'd say Nessie is about fifteen as well, which means she is almost at full growth. Given her pattern, however, and the _looks_ of things," here he shot an unmistakable glower into Jacob's eyes, "I believe she will be sixteen within the next six months."

I understood—Tom had explained to me Renesmee's strange growing dependency—and looked again in Jacob's direction.

"So, how old are you then?"

Another awkward shift. "Well, I couldn't be sure, but I do know I've been this way since she was born, so probably around seventeen?"

"Daddy," another voice chimed in, a much brighter and happier voice than the timid, defiant girl of several days ago, "stop intimidating Jake!"

Edward looked at his daughter with conflicted eyes. "I didn't say anything to him, if that's what—"

"Jake, come on!" she interrupted, ignoring her father's feigned attempt of admitting he was doing 'nothing whatsoever' that might intimidate Jacob. Renesmee grabbed said wolf's hand—who threw a 'sorry, what Nessie wants, Nessie gets' look at her begrudged father—and began making her way over to the boarding section of the terminal. Edward turned back to us with a slight glower in his eyes.

"Well, we'd better be getting ready too, I suppose. Jeanine, Carlisle and Esme will explain to you their idea on the plane concerning your family."

"Oh you really don't have to—"

"Please, dear, it's the least we can do. We'll discuss all the details on the flight, come on," interrupted Esme, the mother hen of this unbelievable coven.

Tom never let my hand go as we made our way toward the boarding area, a dreamlike smile on his handsome face lighting up our every step. I could feel my own smile giving way to several new hotspots on the earth. How strange that I'd never found Oliver exactly attractive and yet his twin brother, Tom, resembled a native god…which reminded me…

Oliver, lagging behind with some of the pack, was still looking quite miserable. _Poor little guy, I hope he imprints soon…_

* * *

Yay for Tom! I know several of you have been asking he imprint: I will admit, considering Oliver has a bigger role than Tom, I hadn't thought too much about him imprinting, but…well what better way to make Oliver's life more miserable than having his last source of comfort—his twin brother—suddenly taken from him by the one thing that destroyed his chances with Renesmee, imprinting? I know, I'm terrible lol, but it makes for good angst, and even better surprises ;) One reviewer (SamforLife) asked about Nessie's age, and so I went ahead and mentioned that in this chapter. In case you missed it, she is about fifteen right now. Earlier I mentioned (through Aro, I think, or Caius…don't remember) that she was 'close' to fifteen, however, considering her ultimate joy at seeing Jake, I figure it's safe to say she's fifteen exactly, if not a bit older hehe. Also, for anyone wondering, we are going to assume her physical appearance is one resembling close to seventeen-eighteenish, and for those wondering—because I KNOW some of you are lol—her bra size is still a B lol. I think I'll keep her at that size, it just would seem a bit irrational to make her this 'big-boobed' girl when Bella isn't exactly full lol (or Renee for that matter), but we'll see with the trivialities…Um, what else…oh yeah, review! Pretty and please lol, there are only about five chapters left in this story *NOOOO!* so if you haven't reviewed at all till now, well I certainly would appreciate a little something :) Next chapter should be up Monday, thanks!


	75. Saviour

Ok so this next chapter was originally only _one_ chapter, however, as it began to form in my mind I knew it would take at least two, plus I wanted to add in as much Nessie&Jake fluff as possible—so perhaps six chapters left lol. Ok, so here it is, and of course thank you all :) Read, review and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's genius, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

******************************Nessie*******************************

Home.

"You ok, Ness?"

His buttery voice melted right through me, a melody so rich and so fine, I could never tire of it. Jake's hands enveloped me deeper into the contours of his defined chest, a light squeeze bringing me out of my mental fantasy and into my living one. I turned ever so slightly, a shy touch of my lips on his cheek.

"I'm fine, Jake."

He returned a brilliant smile, the red of his coppery skin deepening with that simple gesture, that small touch. I couldn't seem to get over the thrill it was to be with this transcendent miracle, from the moment in Volterra to the entire plane ride home, to now, sitting idly on the porch in plain sight.

I'd always known Jacob Black was where home resided, but I never imagined it could feel _so_ good. Being with Jake felt like more than home. It felt like an endless sunny day, a clear moonlit night, a cavalcade of chocolate strawberries, the richest blood, and the only breath in the world that ever really mattered. Being with Jake was the completeness of an unsure era, the cheese to my macaroni, the sugar on top and every other corny saying brought to life. I felt whole, as if nothing in the world could harm me, would even dare, or would mortally regret. Every touch, every kiss, every knowing gaze, every vague gaze; nothing was too small an action; they all did the same thing.

Send me into heaven and beyond.

Yes, Jake was much more than home, and as cliché as it sounds, there really is no place like home.

"Nessie?"

I settled back comfortably, feigning a yawn to stretch my arms up and around his strong neck. "Yeah?"

"I wanted to ask you—"

"Jake! Nessie!"

The voice caused an immediate reaction. Jake guiltily stopped rubbing my knee—when had he started?—and I leaned forward, significantly farther away from his naked torso.

Did I mention on top of all the incredible things Jake is, he happens to be _unbelievably_ attractive?

Mom smiled at us, a knowing look on her face. I knew from the two she was the most understanding, the one most able to accept the chaste touches and kisses Jake and I felt compelled to share. Nevertheless—

"Your father and I are on our way to the airport with Jeanine." She said smoothly, her eyes twinkling as she added, "Edward wants you to come with us, sweetie."

My eyes narrowed. _Yeah, I bet he does…_

"Nessie." Mom warned, her eyebrows rising.

Daddy had been okay with our new relationship at first … _yeah, an entire two hours _… Jake laughed and I felt myself blush; I hadn't realized I'd shared the thought with him. I kissed him quickly on the forehead and turned begrudgingly towards my smiling mother. She knew as well as I did how difficult the whole idea was for my overprotective vampire father, so it was best to just cooperate when able…like, unfortunately, now.

"Oh!" I turned back quickly. "Wait, what did you want to ask me, Jake?"

Jake blinked, a puzzled expression on his face. "What did I—oh! It has to do with the whole Oliver thing but don't worry about it, you'll tell me later." He grinned.

But I felt myself pale.

_Oliver thing? Had he found out already—_

"Hey, hey," he laughed, "it's nothing really. Just wondered how he got mixed up in that whole mess—"

"We need to get going, Jacob," daddy suddenly interrupted, appearing, as usual, conveniently on time with the quickest of glances in my direction. Jake continued grinning, his gaze altered towards daddy.

"Sorry, sorry," he laughed, "don't want to keep Jeanine's family waiting. See you in a while, Ness." And with a quick wink he took off.

I could feel daddy's eyes on me, waiting for me to voice the thoughts I was having trouble keeping straight. Of course I knew my past relationship with Oliver was going to come up eventually—I was actually surprised Jake hadn't asked or found out about us earlier—but now that the truth was just around the corner …

"Come on, Nessie," daddy said softly, "Jeanine and Tom are already waiting in the car."

I followed wordlessly, the upcoming dilemma still vivid in my mind. For once I was actually grateful for daddy's 'interruptions,' even though he was being unusually quiet at the moment … _hmmm, I wonder what he's hiding_ … I still didn't know how, or what I was going to tell Jake when the time came—apparently real soon—and the thought of what he might do to Oliver…

I settled into the backseat beside Tom, a quick smile in greeting to the two lovebirds—_I wonder when Jake and I will be able to look like that without daddy freaking out…_

"Oliver is going to talk to Jacob today," Tom suddenly whispered to me, very softly. I gaped at him in horror.

_WHAT_?

I immediately glared at the pair of golden eyes staring at me through the rearview mirror.

_So that's why you're making me go!_

"Don't worry," Tom continued in a hushed voice, "he'll be fine. He's your best friend after all. Jake wouldn't want to hurt—"

"Are you insane!" I hissed back, my eyes bulging out menacingly. Tom only rolled his eyes.

"You look a lot like Edward when you do that, you kno—"

I grabbed his wrist, shot an apologetic glance at Jeanine—who merely smiled knowingly—and squeezed…_hard_.

"Ow! That—"

If anything happens to him, Tom, you are going to _pay_ for not telling me sooner—

"Sweetheart," daddy cut in, his eyes watching me, "Oliver barely told Tom a few minutes ago so don't go blaming—"

"So you knew too!" I retorted accusingly.

Daddy made to respond but mom beat him to it. "Renesmee," she said sternly, "enough."

"But—"

"Enough."

And that was the end of that.

_Oh, Jake, please don't kill Oliver…_

**************************Oliver***********************************

"Hey, Jake, guess what man? I kind of dated Renesmee for a while, but we're _sooo_ over now that you're in the picture…"

_No, not that…_

"Dude! So I have the funniest story for you. It's like this: Renesmee and I were sort of boyfriend and girlfriend, and yeah we kissed and stuff…what kind of stuff?...uh…"

_Shit, that wouldn't sound right either…_

"Hi, Jake. —"

_Oh God, he's going to kill me…_

*****************************2 hours later********************************

"Hey, kiddo, what's up?"

Jacob was lying flat on his back in a patch of grass, looking as peaceful and at ease as a big, muscular, shape-shifting Quileute guy could ever hope to look. Not for long…

"H-hey, J-Jake." I laughed. _Crap, get it together, Oliver!_

"Dude, come here," he motioned to a spot beside him. "Check out that cloud, it looks like a fish!"

I looked at him in awe. Was he serious? Alpha Jacob Black was…watching…clouds? I shook my head in mild confusion. Being in love hadn't made _me_ that nuts…

_Hello? You're about to get slaughtered by your own doing, that's pretty crazy enough._

_You have a point…_

"Oliver, hurry up before it floats away!"

I went over and looked up. No way was I going to lie beside him; it would only make my death swifter.

"See it?"

"Yeah…" I muttered, utilizing the precious seconds of life I still had. I was ever-grateful I'd had this much longer to begin with, and now that the end was near I couldn't help but feel terrified.

What would death feel like?

"Hey, Oliver, so how did you end up in Volterra anyway, bro?"

And there it was, the question that would unravel the rest of my pitiful existence.

I gulped. "Well, it's a funny story actually—"

"Tom said Ness saved you guys," he laughed, interrupting my train of thought. "But I can't see how they'd confuse you with me. I mean," he leaned up on an elbow and smiled at me cheerfully, "we don't even look alike."

"Oh."

Jacob arched an eyebrow at me expectantly.

_Oh_ _right, explanation…_

"Yeah, well you know the whole attack story. I guess they just thought I was her imprint because she, you know, killed to save me and stuff…" I mumbled, looking away with the increased burn erupting onto my face. _Maybe I should just avoid it all with half-truths…_

"I guess they figured I was someone important if she was willing to kill for me," I continued.

_Yeah, half-truths it is. I'm too young to die. He'll understand when I tell him the truth twenty years from now…_

But Jacob was suddenly looking at me through narrowed eyes. _Uh oh, did he figure it out?_

"Is that…all?"

I gulped, taking a step back without thinking. "Y-yeah—"

"Why are you blushing?" _Crap, there's that accused voice again, the one from before…_

"N-no reason—"

"Oliver, what are you not telling me?"

_That I'm in love with your imprint and I was her first kiss and I actually touched her in more places than you have…_

He was on his feet now, his arms crossed and his head tilted questioningly. He didn't _look_ mad…so maybe…_no, Oliver, you have to tell him, now!_

"Jacob, there's something I have to tell you." I said firmly, despite the squealing, terrified voice in my head telling me to get the hell away already.

He chuckled half-heartedly. "Well, judging by your reactions I figured as much."

I laughed nervously, glancing sideways to scout out the quickest route away. "See the thing is—there's no easy way to say this—I mean—you're not allowed to kill us, right?"

This caused his dark eyes to open significantly. "What? No, why?"

I nodded, my heart already racing with the adrenaline pumping through my veins. "No reason, just…"

But Jacob had already caught on. He took a menacing step forward, his arms no longer folded but arched slightly by his sides, fists clenched and a vein in his neck jutting out threateningly. My body began to shake with anticipation, a gesture my Alpha noticed.

"Oliver, you're shaking."

"I-I know, I…" I took one final breath, my own fists clenching and my legs preparing for the sprint I was about to leap into.

_Alright, here goes. Mom, please don't cry too much at my funeral…_

"I love Renesmee."

Silence.

…

More silence.

Silence accompanied with a twitch of those dangerous eyes, a heat flowing between the small space that separated us.

"I'm sorry, _what_?" he asked, his cheerful demeanor completely gone and replaced with the most terrifying glare my short life had ever seen.

"Renesmee and I—we sort of, got together—"

"YOU DID _WHAT_?"

I realized my hasty wording and fearfully backtracked. "No, no, not like _that_! We just kissed and—"

"YOU _KISSED_ HER?"

I could feel his anger boiling, emanating waves of dynamite just on the brink of exploding, a terrible fate for any person within a ten mile radius.

"Well, that's what couples do—"

"_COUPLES_!"

_Crap, he looks worse than Edward…_

"Well, yeah, she liked me—"

His breathing was already hitching to a lethal height, eyes almost out of their sockets, and body trembling with rage. He didn't say anything but I figured now was the best time for me to finish what I'd come to say.

"And I kind of—t-touched her inappropriately, but, but," I took another step back when his eye width reached a phenomenal length, "it was nothing bad, I—"

"You touched her."

"I didn't mean to I—"

"And you were her first kiss."

"I swear, I'm so sorry, Jacob! I—"

"And you knew she was mine the entire time."

"Yes, but, come on dude, she's amazing! How could I not—"

"YOU'RE DEAD!"

*************************15 seconds later************************

_Jacob, please, I have a mom! And a dad! And Tom—_

_HE'S NEXT FOR NOT TELLING ME ANYTHING!_

_But she's with you now! She chose you, it was always you—_

_SHE'S MY IMPRINT!_

_I know, and I never meant to fall in love with—_

_YOU HAD NO RIGHT!_

_Jacob, please I—_

_Jacob, calm down. Oliver is still young, he—_

_SAM, STAY OUT OF THIS, THAT'S AN ORDER!_

_All right! Jake's totally going to cream Oliver!_

_Dude! Can we watch?_

_You boys are so ridiculous…_

_Embry, Paul, Leah, how could you! I don't want to die I—_

_EVERYONE, OUT OF MY HEAD, EXCEPT YOU, YOU LITTLE PUNK!_

The other wolves' thoughts vanished and I was left with nothing but the ravaging beast fatally close to my tail.

_You said you couldn't kill us—_

_Oh, I don't plan on killing you…right away._

_Renesmee wouldn't be happy about it, she loves me too, you know—_

_SHE'S MINE!_

_Damn, wrong thing to say…_

I raced as fast as I could, faster than I ever thought myself capable of. My limbs, my mind, all numbing compared to the peril that loomed before me…or in this case, behind me. I could hear Jacob's steps getting closer, his snarling growing louder, his teeth lashing ominously, sounds escalating to the peak of a very visual and ugly assassination.

Weird how even now, on the verge of eternal slumber, I couldn't help but think of the forbidden apple. She was the reason for all my misery, the cause, and yet I regretted none of it. One bite and I was hooked, let me be damned. It was worth it…

_Quite a little speech but it doesn't change anything, you're still DEAD!_

_Dammit, Jacob! I already told you I was—AAAHH!_

I felt my body slam into a tree, the trunk ripping straight out with the impact as Jacob forced me deeper into gravity's clutches. My back ached from where I'd hit but I rolled over quickly, wincing with the tremor of pain. Jacob didn't hesitate, his enormous body lunging and missing by a mere inch as I sidled to the side with difficulty. He staggered a few feet forward before hastily turning around and leaping again.

This time his aim was true.

_Jacob, please—_

_YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MY BROTHER! HOW COULD YOU HAVE DONE THIS TO ME!_

He surged forward again, biting into my front leg with a loud rip. I crumbled to the floor, a piercing howl echoing throughout the small space in the midst of the woods.

_I'm stupid, and an idiot, and whatever else you want me to be, just please, sto—_

_AAARRRGHH!_

He hurdled right at me, dripping teeth and extended paws, morbid thoughts racing through his demented mind. I hadn't thought he'd actually try to kill me, but now…

_This was really it, the final seconds of my life…_

A black blur suddenly sliced through the air, a small, lithe form, lightning fast and…

Diving right into Jacob's midsection!

_BACK OFF__,__ YOU BIG BULLY!_

I stared in complete awe, my savior standing protectively in front of me, teeth bared and growling at a very surprised Alpha.

_What the hell—_

_I SAID BACK OFF!_

My thoughts were racing. _The only black wolf in our pack was Sam…_

Jacob was already over his shock, his much bigger shape towering over the smaller wolf.

_Get out of my way, little—_

_DON'T YOU TELL ME WHAT TO DO!_

_That's an or—_

But he never got to finish. The unidentified wolf had already lunged forward, knocked Jacob clear into a tree, grabbed my hind leg, and with amazing strength and speed, took off running, dragging me away from Jacob, to safety. Jacob's thoughts became a mess of confusion, anger, and frustration, but I was suddenly completely undisturbed. This wolf … I had yet to look into my savior's face, let alone her eyes.

_Wait, her?_

Leah was the only girl in our pack … and yet this wolf … her voice, definitely a _her_ … but how was it she could hear our thoughts? Unless … but even then, that still left the question …

_Who was she?_

* * *

*Runs in anticipated fear* So… you've probably guessed what the next chapter is about lol. Yay! However, that still doesn't answer the lingering question of this chapter: who is she? Any thoughts? I'm surprised no one has guessed yet lol. Well, some have mentioned Oliver's imprint might be Nessie&Jake's kid but…though I have drawn some obvious parallels to the love pyramid of Jake&Bella&Edward, I think I draw the line here: so no, not their kid. Which brings us back to the original question…hehe. I know, HORRIBLE cliffhanger, but I did mention I couldn't write this in one chapter—as it is I think I could've cut this one in half and embellished a bit more—so Wednesday we will find out who this secret savior of Oliver's is :) Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews and love and support, I wouldn't have ever been able to get this far if it weren't for you guys, love you all! Looking forward to what you thought of this moment, especially considering so many have been wondering 'what Jake would do to Oliver'. Please review! Thanks.


	76. Oliver

Hello all! I'm finding myself in quite a predicament as of late *damn growing up and having to get a REAL job!* and so I'd like to thank you all SO much for the great reviews and faves, alerts, and love *sighs* You make my day so much better lol. Here's the next chapter, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters.

* * *

**********************************Oliver**********************************

I felt my body hitting limply along rocks and brambles. This girl, whoever she was, wasn't as strong as I'd initially thought, and it was showing in her quickly decreasing speed…

_Well, geez, you're welcome! I may not be that fast but I—_

_How can you—who are you?_

She grunted in response, dragging me along with a burst of speed—I could only guess my 'lack of faith' in her speed gave her strength—and took one final turn. She stopped, dropping me without so much as a glance and headed back into the woods. I looked around; this was the same clearing I'd found Jacob in before he tried to kill me.

Speaking of which...

_I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, BUT IF I CAN HEAR YOU THAT MEANS YOU LISTEN TO ME! _

I listened for my female protector's voice but heard nothing. _How strange…_

_OLIVER, WE STILL HAVE A SCORE TO SETTLE!_

I heard a rustle in between the trees, a smaller silhoute—

_DO YOU HEAR ME! THAT LITTLE MUNCHKIN MIGHT'VE SLOWED ME DOWN BUT I'M ALMOST THERE—_

And now I could almost see it, long black hair—

_TEN SECONDS!_

Dark skin protruding behind it, shielding my view from—_Oliver, stop looking you pervert_!

_EIGHT_!

Not that I could see anything anyway…for some reason I couldn't pull my eyes away from that long, dark hair, that smooth skin…

_SEVEN!_

_She looks sort of like Jeanine…but…_

_SIX!_

She had yet to turn around…_crap! She's going to see me and think I'm some kind of creep!_

_FIVE! AND YOU ARE A CREEP!_

I followed into the forest, grabbing the pair of shorts I'd hastily tied onto my ankle before phasing—I'd given enough free shows to last me a decade—and phased back. Curiosity had never been more eminent, and this girl, this strange, small girl…there was something about her…

I turned back to where she'd been, eager with unknown reasons…only to find her missing once more. I rushed forward, back into the clearing.

_Damn, where did she—_

And then I saw her...and...everything just...clicked.

Our eyes met for a split second and my entire existence fell into the most complete puzzle, the most unbelievable sensation. Gray eyes stared at me in awe, an unabashed excitement filtering through the air with that gaze, an unrelenting beat of my heart. Angels sang and the heavens became live again, showering us in a perfect arch of joy and celebration. Fireworks would never be worthy of the flames bursting to life in my soul at this moment. She stared at me in shock, uncomprehending of what had just happened.

And then the split-second was over.

Jacob came roaring out of the trees, a subtle glaze of his strong limbs against my now-human ones and I was sent stumbling forward onto the floor.

Not that it mattered. I couldn't seem to take my eyes away from her, this amazing creature before me…

"Jake, STOP!" cried out another voice. It sounded familiar but even then it didn't matter, all that mattered were the pair of gentle hands and timid smile suddenly inches away from mine, tugging me upward onto my feet.

"Here, let me help you." She said, and if I'd remembered how to speak I might've been able to say something back like… 'gah'.

Apparently I managed to say _something_ because she giggled, pulling her dangling hair behind her ear with a shy glance up at me.

_Oh, that's right, I'm standing now… that laugh, so…_

"JACOB BLACK! HOW _DARE _YOU TRY TO KILL OLIVER!"

_There's that voice again, I wish it would shut up so I can hear _her_ laugh again…_

There was another sound somewhere behind me, and Jacob came barreling out once again. "Nessie, for the love of—why didn't you tell me!"

"I was going to but then… "

_Oh, so that voice was…Renesmee's…huh…strange_… Their voices faded off into some other place, unimportant.

…_so, what's _your _name?_

The girl continued to look at me shyly, and I tilted my head in confusion. _Why was she—you need to speak to her OUT LOUD, you moron!_

_Oh, right…_

"So…" but she began giggling all over again, a beguiling sound that hurled my words into another state of speechlessness, of stupor.

"I'm so sorry, Oliver, I-" Renesmee's voice cut off abruptly, though I didn't understand why. I was still too busy looking at a dark strand of hair that flitted in front of the dark-skinned girls face teasingly.

_I bet it feels amazingly soft..._

"Um, Jake, is what I think just happened happening?" Renesmee asked somewhere far away.

The girl suddenly sprinted away, a quick glance backwards before disappearing into the arms of another dark-skinned body.

The distance was enough to wake me up. "No wait!" I called out, stepping forward to go after her. "I don't even know-"

But a huge laugh rang throughout the air at that moment, thunderous amidst the silence that I barely registered following Renesmee's question. Confused, I forced myself to turn back to my just-a-minute-ago-predator.

Jacob wasn't the only one with a huge smile on his face. Renesmee looked at me with a strange light in her once-most-beautiful face, almost the way a mother would look at her child.

_What the-_

But Jacob was already crushing me into his broad chest, my lungs desperate for air.

_So maybe he is going to kill me after all..._

"Oliver, you sly dog!"

"I'm so happy for you, Oliver!" Renesmee beamed close by. I didn't understand any of it, and the worse part, that girl, that unbelievable girl...

"Doesn't change that I ought to pulverize you though," Jacob continued, a hint of his deathly malice.

_That girl is probably watching...how embarrassing..._

"But now that you've imprinted I guess I can't kill you," he said, a chuckle causing his chest to heave and squeeze me tighter.

_She probably thinks I'm such a loser with Jacob squishing me like-wait a minute...IMPRINT!_

I struggled against his bonds, managing to pull away. "You mean I-that she is-that I..." And I was sent spinning around to face her again, our eyes meeting for the second time.

It was instant. The world stopped making sense and she was the only thing that existed. Her face lit up with mine and for another long, glorious moment we simply gazed into each others eyes, mesmerized.

And I knew Jacob was right.

With help from Jacob and Jeanine we were suddenly two feet away from each other, the electricity flowing between us rapidly, like water.

"Oliver," Jeanine finally spoke, "I'd like you to meet my younger sister, Serena."

Serena's earlier boldness came to life then. She tentatively took my hand into her own, a firm but soft sensation, warm and soothing.

And planets exploded.

"Nice to meet you, Oliver," she said, her musical voice a lullaby to my ears, rich and beautiful. I squeezed her hand as I brought it up to my lips, the entire universe vanished into thin air. There was only she and I, and this moment of realization, of completeness, of infinite joy.

"I'm Oliver."

And life, the meaning for all that was good in the world, for everything that made birds sing, the sun shine, the stars glow, and my heart beat: it was forever melded into those gray eyes.

I could stay there forever...

****************Jacob****************

"Please, Jake? Can you ever forgive me? Please, oh, please? And I'll love you forever?"

Eyelashes batted dangerously, lips pouted lethally, and Nessie slowly eased herself onto my lap, her soft hands sidling around the back of my neck as she aimed the most dangerous weapon into my face.

_Damn those gorgeous, big, brown eyes..._

"And besides we never got that far, well," she blushed, a memory clearly coming to mind, "not like, you know, _doing _it or..."

I growled with the image and Nessie immediately began another round of apologies.

"Oh, Jake, no! We didnt! That's what I'm trying to tell you! And either way I choose you, _only you_!"

_Only me...I like the sound of that..._

"You forgive me, right?"

And there were those eyes again, chocolate melting my insides with the fire that blazed brilliantly behind them. How could anyone say no to that?

"Well I-"

And then she started kissing me.

Mmmm...like cinnamon and fresh fruit, chocolate and flowers, every sweet taste in the world intertwined into one delicious kiss..._Hey, wait a minute_!

"Nessie, you can't-" but the weaker voice lost. Her hands began to roam over my vulnerable body, first my neck, down to my shoulders, massaging over my arms, and then lower even, to the topmost portion of my chest...

How could anyone say no to that?

"Jake," she whispered softly, her warm breath a pleasant tickle against my ear. It made me shiver, fires igniting in the most _interesing _places... "I love you, so why can't you just accept the past for what it is? Let's focus on us, yeah?"

Her hand stroked the back of my neck and ear, and a loud rumble began to emit from my chest, as if I were purring into her touch.

"I...I..."

"Let's focus on _now_."

How could anyone say no to that?

"Nessie, I-"

She placed one more soft kiss onto my parted lips, finally pulling away with the most amazing smile on her beautiful face, a sincere light in her glowing eyes. "Jake, do you forgive me?"

I sighed, smiling simultaneously, reveling in the amazing fortune I had. Really, how could anyone say no to that?

"Of course, my love."

* * *

There you have it, Oliver's imprint and a little more Nessie&Jake fluff. Poor Jake, he is such a sucker when it comes to Nessie lol. Congratulations for those who guessed right! I'm surprised several thought it might be Jeanine...just for the record, the only thing 'different' about Jeanine (at least concerning vampires and such) is that becuase she does sort of have Quileute blood-as thin as it may have been-she merely smells a 'bit' different. I'm also assuming this thin relation is what gave her the 'hybrid acting shield' gift. Other than that, she is completely vampire, which WILL make her relationship with Tom a bit difficult...nevertheless, when you love someone, REALLY love someone, you do whatever it takes to make things work. Tom and Jeanine are going to be examples of that, and if you think about it, they CAN still do many things *cough, like have sex* without either of them getting hurt. The only thing that comes to mind that she can't do to him is bite him, so they should be ok (I know some of you are thinking it! But NO, not everyone is 'extra kinky' and needs to bite each other when making love lol). I have a HUGE Nessie&Jake scene coming up, along with possibly some Tom&Jeanine, Oliver&Serena (btw, Serena is not that old, I'm going to say around 13 or so, thus her and Oliver's attraction is kind of jumbled...notice I didn't say anything about them being 'in love' it will come in time). Ok, so next chapter should be up by Saturday, possibly sooner. Please review till then, I would greatly appreciate it. Btw, the 'Jake POV' in this chapter is actually part of a oneshot I sort of have planned lol called 'How can Anyone say No to That?' just in case anyone was wondering why I repeated that several times lol; it should be up within a month or so ;) ...Anyway, WE'RE ALMOST GETTING TO THE END! So give me incentive to write a sequel lol jk. Thanks so much for everything guys :)


	77. Offers

Hi everyone! I want to thank you all for the nth plus one time lol, it means the world to me that you all think so positively towards my first fanfic and I freaking love you all! Thanks! Ok, so here's the next chapter, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

******************************Oliver*******************************

"No, Oliver! Not like that, silly," she giggled, her eyes rolling backwards in mock frustration. She flipped her hair back dramatically and put a hand on my own, all the while smiling sweetly.

I, of course, had my mouth open like an idiot.

Serena turned around so that we were facing each other. "Ok, look. Three strands, one over the middle, the other over that one, and then the other over that one, got it?"

_Sure, anything you say…_ "Uh…"

She sighed, her small hands working nimbly through soft tresses as she braided the other side just like she had the first. My heart sank with the realization that I couldn't do anything right…

"No, no!" she shrieked, grabbing my hands and bringing them to her face. I felt my cheeks flush immediately. "Don't feel bad, Oliver. It took me forever to learn how to braid hair, it just takes practice. Here, I'll show you again."

She grabbed my hand and, never removing her fingers from behind mine, began the process all over again.

"Three strands—"

I watched her delicate fingers, intricate with their task, smooth skin along my rough—

"One over the middle—"

My eyes found their way higher up, her pink lips moving with a never ending smile, beautiful and heart-stopping—

"The other over that one—"

Even higher up, a tiny nose, perfect amidst flushed cheeks—

"And then the other over that one."

And then there were her gray eyes, mysterious pools of misty silver, deep and unrelenting of what lie beneath—

"Oliver, you're staring again."

I blinked and managed a weak laugh. "I…I guess I am." I said, not finding anything else to say. She fluttered her long lashes at me shyly before leaning in closer.

"You know," she said softly, almost a whisper, "I'm almost fourteen. Maybe we could sneak away from here and—"

"Oh, no you don't, young lady," Jeanine suddenly appeared, yanking her swiftly onto her feet and out of my arms.

I looked up at her with a frown…and then straight out glared at the grinning idiot beside her.

"Sorry, _little_ brother," Tom said with a feigned air of authority, "but Serena is still too young to be playing around with the likes of you—"

"I'm only one year younger than you!" Serena retorted hotly, taking a menacing step forward and poking Tom in the chest.

"And," I added, moving closer at the same time, "WE are only one year apart. You two on the other hand—"

"Are still older," Jeanine answered smoothly, a smirk worthy of Rosalie's plastered on her face.

Tom smiled at me sweetly. "_Yeah_."

"Oh yeah, well—well…" but I couldn't come up with anything. Serena, my clever little doll face, however, was ready, a broad, almost malicious smile on her face.

"Well, at least when Oliver and I have permission, we can kiss each other as hard as we like!"

I almost fell.

My entire body scorched and I had to hang onto my brother's shoulder to avoid slipping all the way down.

_W-what?_

"Serena!" Jeanine scolded. But Tom had another thing in mind. His eyes half-closed and his nostrils flared slightly.

"Want to bet, you little—"

We both took an immediate step backward…Jeanine had already grabbed him by the shoulders, dipped him backwards, and dove in for a very, very, _very_ inappropriate kiss.

I looked at them in shock, and then at Serena.

_Oh no, she can't be thinking…_

We'd been home for several months now and I had yet to kiss the means of my existence, and for some reason, I was ok with that. Tom was right, she was too young, thirteen still. With Renesmee it had been different, I was willing to do whatever at all cost…with Serena, I didn't want to make any mistakes, she was too important to me, too much to risk losing, and I could see just how important her father was to her. Being around her seemed to be enough though, more than enough, and I'm sure kissing her would have been an even more incredible experience. As it was, our newfound relationship seemed to be in the midst of best friends and—

"Well, we can do better than that! Come here, Oliver!"

_No, not yet, your dad said—_

But her mouth was already on mine.

And I forgot anything ever existed at all.

*************************Edward*************************************

"Bella, I don't know, it just seems too soon! And I—"

"Shouldn't be listening to her thoughts anyway," she replied curtly. I refrained from childishly rolling my eyes at her.

"Well, _love_, fortunately I have no other choice. Surely you, of all people, must understand that graduation is a reasonable deadline." I responded smoothly. Bella only looked at me with raised eyebrows.

And I didn't have to hear it from her to guess what she was thinking…

"This is a new generation, Edward. Not everything has to be done the traditional way. Even I thought—"

"Bella, _please_, don't tell me you're going to agree to this?" I was by her side, my best puppy-face directed into my stunning wife's face, begging for her alliance in the latest conundrum.

Bella smiled at me, her fingertips grazing the side of my cheek lovingly. "Oh, Edward," she sighed, breathless and content, "you know I hate seeing you upset."

My ears perked up. "So then—"

"Unfortunately Nessie is all grown up now, and so anything we say or try to do won't matter. She has her heart set."

_Stupid imprinting…_

"If only that damn dog—"

"_Jacob_, Edward, not dog," she warned slightly. I turned away and nuzzled into her warm neck, breathing in her enticing scent.

"Fine, Jacob."

She enclosed her arms around my back, bringing me closer yet, a soft sigh in response to the interesting things I found myself doing to her exposed throat.

"Edward," she said softly, "that's not going to change anything, you know."

I retreated back slowly to look into her eyes and we shared a moment of silence, knowing parents in the outfield.

"I know, it's just…"

"She's your daughter."

"Yes, and I…"

"Love her very much."

"Exactly but if she—then—and if we don't…"

"Don't worry, Edward," she placed a gentle kiss onto my lips. "I'm as terrified as you are."

************************Jacob********************************

I laughed with the ridiculous sight before me, a moment worth noting in vampire history. Nessie just rolled her eyes at me, a grin stretched across her smeared face.

"Jake!" she laughed, immediately by my side and hitting me playfully on the arm. "Stop laughing! I did it on purpose, I—"

"I-I'm s-sorry, N-Ness," I sputtered, "but you just look so—"

"Don't say it."

"DAMN FUNNY!"

This time her eyes narrowed slightly. I took a playful step backward, and added hastily, "And cute, yes, very, very adorable…covered in mud."

She sighed, removing her light sweater and dropping it gingerly onto the floor. I did my best to keep a straight face, watching the object of my affection dash away and back, a trail of wet mud erased somewhat from her clear complexion.

"I know, I know," she raised her arms up dramatically; "vampires shouldn't be tripping over tree roots. But in my defense, mom was VERY clumsy as a human!"

I walked over to her in two strides, using the hem of my shirt to wipe away rogue drops of the brown substance away from her skin, including the bottom half of her face. She closed her eyes and tilted her head into my hands, her cheeks warm through the thin fabric. Without thinking I stroked it, causing a soft sigh to be released, a flutter of lashes.

_So beautiful, even covered in mud…_

"You know," she spoke softly, her eyes still closed, "you might be able to clean me up better if you used your entire shirt."

I grinned, a vague feeling of guilt erupting alongside the all-too familiar sensation of arousal that the girl in front of me brought about so easily. True, Nessie was officially sixteen already, thus fully grown, but…

"Here," she offered, her eyelids rising slightly as her quick fingers slid my shirt off before I could say anything. It shouldn't have been anything, I'd been shirtless in front of her loads of times…

She placed the shirt into my waiting hands and I continued the process of cleaning her up, moving slowly as I wiped against the ridges of her collarbone.

_So soft, so…_

_Stop it, Jake! You guys aren't even married yet! You—_

"Jake," her voice, her soothing voice, "there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Her cheeks were flushed a delicious pink, eyes bright with what could only be passion, hair windblown in ardent disarray—

"As you know," she continued, her hands moving along my own. I hadn't noticed I'd stopped. She moved them with hers, along the topmost part of her bare shoulders.

My heart began to beat without pace, racing then freezing with her cautious touch, every fiery gaze.

_Not good, not good…_

"I'm already of age," she said, her hands rubbing circles against my fingers, kneading them deeper into her porcelain softness. "And so I was thinking it was about time you and I…" she paused, stepping closer into the circle I'd unknowingly formed around her. "Took the next step."

Time froze.

_The next step, as in…_

"I know my parents are all for, you know, being traditional and stuff, but…"

_Does she mean—no wait, she can't possibly mean—as much as I would love to, I couldn't possibly—_

"I don't know, graduation just seems like too far away. I mean, I know I'm only sixteen but it's not like I'm going to get any older, so why wait another two years, you know?"

"I—er—"

She took the final step and hugged me tightly, her hot breath against my naked chest, brown, simmering eyes staring up at me with an intense blaze. Her hands moved simultaneously, rubbing my sides comfortingly, but mere centimeters away from my hips, too close to my—

"What's the point in waiting?" she asked quietly, her beautiful, angel face lighting up in anticipation. I couldn't answer, verbally anyway. There was quite an obvious reply coming from somewhere else on my body…

"I wanted to wait," she continued, almost as if talking to herself, "but I know that there will never be anyone else, that it will always be you that I love, that you will always be the one who loves me most."

Her warming words only made me gasp. _Do you know what you do to me, Nessie?_

"And I guess there's really no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to spit it out," she said, her face brightening a deep shade of red, all the while squeezing me closer, tighter.

_No, you should say something now, Jake, before you let your hormones take over. She's going to regret this later. She's just a hormonal teenager too, after all, she—_

And suddenly her hands were rubbing down the length of my legs, nervously as she lowered herself to one knee, her hot breath coming out shallowly as her breathing began to accelerate.

_See, you idiot! She's nervous, which means she knows just as much as you do that this isn't right—_

I felt her hands take my own, smooth warm skin against my burning temperature, a dazzling smile that went straight through my heart and into my soul. Even now she looked so sweet, so innocent…

_Yeah, but what exactly is she about to do to you…_

_Damn, this has to stop, now…_

"Nessie, hang on a sec, I—"

But she shook her head. "No, Jake, let me do this, I need to do this, I've been wanting to for a while now," she answered back determinedly, hugging my legs meaningfully and burrowing the side of her face with clenched eyes.

_But I—we—your dad's going to—_

She pulled back slightly, one hand disappearing into her pocket whilst the other remained holding my own, another smile, certain and thrilling, gleaming with all the sun's rays.

"Jacob Black," she said slowly, each syllable a loving sound from those perfect lips, a caress meant to last forever. I held my breath, waiting for her to drop the bomb. I'd always pictured our first time _together_ somewhat differently…

*****************************Nessie********************************

For some reason Jake looked extremely nervous.

It made my heart sink.

The fact was, I'd expected him to ask me earlier, but Jake hadn't even come close to it, not one single hint. I didn't understand. I loved him and he loved me, so what more did we need?

_Maybe he doesn't want this…_

_No, he does, it's probably daddy's doing. Think about it, if daddy knew Jake was going to—_

As if he could hear me, Jake suddenly spoke. "Nessie, hang on a sec, I—"

I shook my head, unsettled with his hesitance but determined. "No, Jake, let me do this, I need to do this, I've been wanting to for a while now." I hugged his legs against my cheek, rubbing my hands comfortingly along his sides to ease up the tension, burrowing deeper as if to hide.

_Breathe, Nessie, breathe, it's just a simple question. After all, daddy did it to mom, right? And before she was turned too, it's no different now. There's nothing wrong with this. The worst that can happen is that he'll say no_…

My heart faltered again with the horror.

But my mind was set. I knew what I wanted, and even if he refused me—which I really, really, _really_ hoped he didn't—at least he'd know just how committed I was ready to be. I let go of his hand and reached into my pocket swiftly, turning a meaningful smile up into the eyes of the man I loved.

_Jake, even if you do say no, I know you'll always love me no matter what…_

"Jacob Black," I said carefully, each word a reminder of everything he meant to me, of everything that could never describe how much I loved him. Jake tensed, his eyes widening and his skin burning against my own. It was now or never.

I pulled out the tiny box and held it open in front of him.

"Will you marry me?"

* * *

Soooooo…lol, ok, here's my train of thought: Jake proposing was just a little too obvious, in my opinion, and so I 'tweaked' it as only I would probably do lol. What do you think? We all know Edward would be against it right away—probably why Jake has been avoiding the subject so soon—but when it comes to Nessie (at least how I characterize her), what she wants, she will do whatever to get lol. And right now there is no one more important to her than Jake. I thought it might be a bit fun for Jake to be a little 'misled' because come on, even he would've never expected his little Nessie to _propose_ to him! Unexpected, 'omg', and oh so sweet! Lol. I also wanted to clarify something (don't know if I did already or not). I mentioned that Tom and Jeanine WILL work. What I meant was in the context of love. If we base their relationship on the basis of having more pups then obviously no, it won't work. But recall that Tom has a twin brother: Oliver. Thus, even if Tom can't pass on the wolf gene, his twin sure can! And from the same blood line too! There are so many 'holes' left open with other SM characters that I really don't think Tom and Jeanine are 'unlikely' (for instance, Leah hasn't had her period since she phased…does she get it again when she imprints? Does she not? The answer will tell us if she can have babies or not, but we don't know…)...if you aren't convinced, I don't know what else to tell you. I honestly didn't really consider the whole 'imprinting for the purpose of reproduction' when I had Tom imprint on Jeanine; I was only focused on each needing someone to fall in love with and be happy…Anyway, I just posted a new 'story' called the 'Twilight Scrapbook of Memories.' This will be the beginning of a long collection of letters/journals/etc just for fun (what if's sort of lol) so if you want to check out the first entry please do. Thank you all so much! Next chapter up soon, and we're three chapters away from the end so please review! Love you all, thanks.


	78. Happy Endings

CONGRATULATIONS to Mayfairy for becoming a fanfiction legend! She was not only my first, but also 500th, and 1000th reviewer! Isn't that totally amazing! Kisses to you my dear Mayfairy, without that first review I might've never continued this story at all, so thanks so much for your continued support and love. Love you girl!

And of course, a special thanks to all my amazing readers and reviewers. I can go on and on with how grateful and humbled I am by your lovely comments and enthusiasm *sighs happily* but let's finish the story first, shall we? I mentioned there are only three chapters left…ok, I lied lol. There may actually be like five left plus an ending author's note/sneek peek of the sequel, in the end. Here's chapter seventy eight, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

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***************************Jacob******************************

"Can you believe it, dad!" I laughed, ecstatic still with the flying sensation floating around in my stomach. It took all my will power to avoid lifting my dad out of his chair and into the air. I was just so happy!

Billy chuckled. "I'm so happy for you, son. So, I'm assuming you said yes then, right?"

I flopped down onto the couch, a huge grin tattooed on my face. "Ah, dad…"

A moment forever engraved in my memory…

"_Will you marry me?"_

_I looked at her questioning gaze, the ring in her outstretched hand gleaming without the use of any sunlight, only the gleam in her brown eyes. My heart was soaring, my head floating, my body tingling. It was a long moment of astonishment, pleasant surprise. It was only until those beautiful brown eyes suddenly turned away from mine hesitantly, almost ashamedly…_

_Oh no, she thinks I might say no!_

"_Nessie, no!" I choked out, grabbing her chin so that I could never look away from those eyes again. Her mouth quivered when our gaze met again._

"_N-no?" she whispered. _

_Why is she—stupid, Jake! Stupid!_

"_No! That's not what I meant—I mean, I was just so surprised I—" And I finally came to my senses._

_I began to laugh joyously._

"_YES! HELL YES!" _

_In one fluid movement I picked her up and brought her up to eye level, her beaming smile the last thing in sight before the smooth of soft lips engulfed my own, a procession of quick kisses all over her face._

"_Jake!" she laughed, "you're getting saliva on my face!"_

"_Sorry," I mumbled moving back to her lips. "I'm just—" Kiss. "So." Kiss. "Happy!"_

_Long, slobbery, kiss._

_Our eyes met again, the reality of what these past moments had just accomplished shining through with vigor. She loved me, and I loved her more still, and now…_

_We were engaged. Renessmee Cullen and I were going to get married…_

"Jake? Jake? Hello, anyone in there?"

I blinked. Billy was smiling mischievously, his hand fanning the front of my face. I grinned in reply.

"Congratulations, Jake." He playfully punched me on the shoulder. "So, when's the big day?"

"About a year from now. Alice is taking care of all the arrangements of course."

Billy frowned. "So soon? And Bella and Edward are ok—"

I laughed, cutting him off midsentence. "Well, let's just say we 'compromised.' Edward wanted us to wait till graduation but Nessie insisted two years was too long and threatened to drop out if she didn't get her way."

"So…"

I leaned forward. "So Bella offered Nessie to graduate early, within one year. Then we tie the knot and everyone gets what they want."

Billy laughed and shook his head. "You sure got a handful there with this one, don't you, Jake?"

I smiled to myself. "Yeah. Nessie can be very stubborn but…well, I love her."

Billy edged closer to me. "I know, son, I know—" he burst into a fit of coughs. I immediately stood up to get him his medicine.

"No, don't—" another sputter of coughs.

"Don't complain, you shouldn't be coughing like that, dad," I interrupted sourly. I'd noticed a vast difference in his condition since getting back from Volterra. Everyday he assured me he was getting better but—

"See? I'm fine." He smiled at me through innocent eyes. I raised an eyebrow.

_Still no reason to avoid taking your meds, old man…_

"Now, don't look at me like that," he said teasingly, "this is your moment, don't let me ruin it. Here, hang on."

He wheeled himself out of the room and down the hallway. Now what is he up to? I made to follow him but he ordered me to stay put with a loud 'Stay put!'

_Geez, ok, ok…_

After about five minutes he finally came back, a small pouch dangling from one of his fingers, carefully placed so as not to get caught in the wheels. He grinned at me. "Here, I take it you haven't given her a ring yet, so—"

But I was already eyeballing the jewel in disbelief.

"Whoa, dad, this used to be mom's…" I started, the silver ring sliding into my palm. It looked brand new, well taken care of. But…

"Dad, I," I cleared my throat, "you really don't have to. This is one of the few things you have left of her, I wouldn't want—"

"Jacob," he spoke sternly, "you will take it and there will be no if's, and's, or but's about it. She would want you to have it, so take it. I won't be around forever, son, and I wouldn't want to miss the chance at being a part of your happiness. So take it, give it to your future wife and be happy."

I looked at my haggard father, lines etched into his skin with age, loose skin where muscles used to be, gray hairs covering every ounce of his once black hair. I'd never realized how old he really was, how…old he really _looked_. He'd been so sick lately and I'd barely even been around…I didn't know what to say…and for some reason…

"Come here, son," Billy said softly, motioning for me to sit on his lap.

I shook my head furiously. No way, I was a man now, and men don't sit on their daddy's laps and cry—

"Jacob."

But then again…

"Dad, I'm—I'm sorry I haven't been around lately," I cried out, not exactly sitting on his weak bones but leaning over to embrace him so that it looked like I was. He was grateful for the gesture and his frail hands moved over my broad back.

"There, there, now, I understand, you're a grown man now, and in love," he soothed. "And don't you worry about this old man, I don't plan on going anywhere for a while yet."

I hugged him closer to myself, reveling in the comfort of my father, his familiar scent, thin-once-burly frame so small under my own. When had he gotten so small? Or was it just that I had gotten so big?

I didn't mean to cry like the five year old I'd once been, but for some unfathomable reason the tears poured silently down my cheeks, a mixture of joy with my engagement and nostalgia with my aging father. It made no sense really, but he held onto me just like he'd always done in the past. Sometimes things don't have to make sense for someone to understand, I guess.

I gave him one final squeeze before pulling away. "Yeah, well, you better not. Ness and I plan on having a dozen kids and they need a _normal_ grandpa."

He laughed, the twinkle in his eye reminding me he wasn't just some frail, old man. He was still Chief Billy Black, leader of the Quileute tribe and my dad.

"I love you dad."

"And I love you, son."

***************************Nessie*************************************

"Pleeeaaasse! Pretty please? Serena, make him say yes!"

Oliver scowled and turned away from for the millionth time, though the edge of his lips revealed he wasn't as 'unhappy' as he put out to be. "No way, Renesmee. I've done loads of things for you, and I still would since you're my best friend and all," he crossed his arms as if to make a point. "But I will NOT be your maid of honor!"

Serena began giggling immediately. "Oh but why not, Oliver? I think you'd look cute in a dress!"

Oliver looked horrified. We both burst into another fit of laughter. Even though she was several years younger than me, I really liked Serena.

"Oh, come on, Oliver," I rolled my eyes and shoved him onto the couch next to the dark-haired girl, "I'm not going to _actually_ make you wear a dress."

Serena added, "Yeah, silly. Besides, if you're Nessie's maid of honor then I get to go shopping with you for all the bride stuff!"

I made a poor show of coughing with the intensity of horror that increased on Oliver's face. Alice made it a point to walk in in his moment of damnation.

"Oliver," she said in a sing-song voice, "you do know I'm in charge of all the details, right?"

Oliver looked hopeful while Serena slumped backwards into the couch. Alice gave her a reassuring look before turning back to her uncooperative imprint. "All you have to do is show up, hand her the ring, and look good. Serena and I," she winked at her, "will handle all the details."

Oliver looked hesitant. I didn't blame him, something about Alice's 'too-innocent' eyes said there was probably a good deal more my male friend would have to do. "Well," he said slowly, "it's just…oh, alright, fine, but you can't call me the 'maid of honor', I'm not a girl, after all."

"But you are my best friend," I quickly added, "so it would only be right that you be my maid of—"

"Man!"

Serena rolled her eyes with me this time. "Ok, ok, yes, _man_ of honor, geez, you boys and your macho complex…" I said, eyeing Serena knowingly. She took the hint and zoomed in for a quick peck on my best friends lips.

Oliver turned beet red. Serena giggled and pulled back, admiring her handiwork. "Nothing macho about that," she concluded loudly, affection laced into every look. I beamed. It really was so amazing that Oliver had found someone as sweet as Serena. He deserved it.

I smelled the aroma of my existence and turned around expectantly. Jake walked in with a huge smile upon meeting my gaze, Tom and Jeanine lagging behind him with the same 'dreamy-eyes' aimed at each other. I ran straight into Jake's waiting arms.

"So what's this I hear about 'man of honor'?" he asked, placing a quick kiss on my nose. I returned it with eager enthusiasm and a loud pop.

"Oliver's going to be my maid of honor," I told him.

"Man!"

"Get over it, Oliver," Serena retorted, smacking him playfully on the shoulder. Tom and Jake were already howling with laughter. I shot an apologetic look at my best friend and tentatively touched Jake's arm.

_Alright, alright, enough…_

Jake nodded and came up for air. His eyes suddenly lit up and he exclaimed. "Hey! I have an idea! Since you're getting a guy for your maid—sorry, man of honor, how about I get a girl for my mine too. I already have the perfect girl in mind…"

_Uh oh, I don't like that little gleam in your eyes, Jake. Who do you have in min—_

Daddy suddenly came into the room with a similar expression. Smirking with mishchief. "Be warned, Jacob," he chuckled, taking a seat on one of the loveseats. Mom followed with an expression similar to mine.

Confused.

Jake gave me one quick kiss before he placed me onto the floor and turned around. He winked at me and then opened his mouth to speak.

"OH, ROSALIE!"

My eyes bulged. He can't be serious? I looked towards daddy but he was carefully avoiding my gaze—something he'd been doing for a while since we announced our engagement.

"Jake, I don't think—"

"I swear, if you had any less decency you'd be nothing short of a savage," Rosalie huffed as she walked in. Emmett tailed close behind, his shoulders bouncing with eagerness.

"Yo, Jake! What's up? Rose didn't want to come down but I made—I mean," he backtracked with the glare his bombshell beauty gave him, "I love you, honey?"

Rosalie turned away and focused her death glare in Jake's direction. "What do you want, dog?"

Jake frowned in mock hurt. "So we're back to derogative terms again? Shame, shame, Barbie, but if you insist. Now come over here and be my best man!"

I held my breath. Rosalie froze. Then she rolled her eyes and turned away.

_She thinks he's joking…please be joking, please be joking…_

Jake, however, swiftly caught up and grabbed her hand in his. "Please, pretty please? Nessie would really appreciate it, wouldn't you Ness?"

Rosalie's nostrils flared in disgust and anger and she immediately turned her icy stare at me. Whoa, she can look really scary sometimes…

"Nessie," she spoke, the same buttery voice she'd reserved for me since I was a baby, "I love you very much, sweetie, you know that, but if your mutt doesn't let go of my hand in two seconds, I'm going to choke him to death."

I was caught in between laughing hysterically and rushing forward. What came out was something in between.

"Jake, I really," I giggled nervously, "wouldn't mind if you chose someone else. No offense to Rosalie, of course, but—"

"Oh come off it, already!" Tom suddenly interrupted. "You want a balanced pair, fine. I'll be Jake's best man. There, now you have a pair of twins."

Rosalie had already ripped her arm out of Jake's hand and stormed upstairs. Jake shrugged and came over to me, ruffling my hair in the same motion. "Ok then, sounds good to me."

I looked at him in awe. "You mean, you really were just kidding with Rosal—"

He waved a hand. "Pfffshhh! Of course! Can you imagine? The ice queen for my best man?" he shivered and closed his eyes. "She'd probably put me in a dress or something, and that's being nice."

I shook my head and led him towards the couch. Daddy finally met my eyes and smiled at me.

Haha, very funny, dad!

But the truth was, I was quite happy right now. And for once, so was daddy. Suddenly the door burst open and Seth and Leah tumbled in.

Literally.

Seth seemed to be trying to say something whilst a very flustered Leah struggled silencing him.

"Hey, hey, you guys, what's the big deal—" Jake started.

"LEAH—OW!"

"SHUT UP YOU LITTLE—HEY!"

"YOU STARTED IT—AAAHH!"

The rest of us gazed at the two siblings, biting and kicking and scratching each other, but mostly—

"LETGOMOUTH!"

"OVER MY DEAD BODY!"

Just then Jeanine and Serena's dad walked in—they'd been staying in a couple of our guest rooms whilst Esme constructed a house for them on the reservation—and his eyebrows rose.

"What's going o—"

"LEAH IMPRINTED ON _HIM_!"

And…silence.

I stared at Leah, then at the 'him' in question, my thoughts racing wildly. Leah looked horrified with the revelation, blushing furiously and avoiding Jeanine and Serena's dad's gaze. He looked mildly surprised by all the commotion, but nothing dramatic. Finally—

"On dad?" Serena asked, her nose wrinkled in disgust. "But he's so…_old_!"

That did it; we burst into more laughter…or shrieks, by Seth's standards.

"_You stupid moron_!" Leah screeched, slapping him on the head. Seth merely winced, his broad grin widening as he ran behind Jake for sanctuary. Jake was grinning as well.

"Wow, Leah, congratulat—"

"Shut up! Don't think just because—oh…hi, Dom."

"Dom! She's already calling you by your nickname—"

Dominic shot his younger daughter a look that clearly said 'that's enough.' He turned back towards Leah with a frown. "If it's because of my age, I'll have you know I'm not that old, I'm actually—"

"No, no!" Leah interrupted, her face resembling the brightest of reds. "It's not that, really, I just—"

"She's just a sour, old—"

"Seth, shut up!" She made to smack him again, but he quickly retreated behind Jake again. I laughed. Jake turned his attention to Dominic.

"Don't mind, Leah, sir. She's just been through a lot, and to be honest we were never even sure she was ever going to imprint at all. It's a bit…what do you think, Leah, confusing?"

Leah, still flustered, shot Jake a grateful glance before turning back to Dominic. "Yeah, something like that…"

But Dominic didn't seem to mind. He shook his head and took her hand in his—at which Serena began making gagging faces towards—and smiled down at her. "Don't worry, I'll wait as long as you like and I'll be whatever it is you need to be until you're ready."

I smiled and Jake caught my eye. Judging by the glazed look over Leah's face I'd say she was already very much in love with her older man.

Good old imprinting…

Jake took her in his arms and swung her around before she could begin to protest. "Congratulations, Leah!"

Seth came out beaming and took Dominic in for a hug as well, though I could've sworn I heard a muttered 'hurt her and I'll kill you'. I shook my head.

Leah and Seth, the perfect brother and sister relationship.

I sat back and surveyed the scene before me…Tom and Jeanine, Serena and Oliver, Jake and I, and now Leah and Dominic. To think, several months ago things had been on the brink of crashing, miserable and depressing, and now…I couldn't believe how great things were, it was a miracle, happy ending upon happy ending, and to top it all off, Jake and I were engaged.

I met Jake's glowing eyes once again. He mouthed 'I love you' and I smiled back, a silent kiss telling him I loved him more.

Yes, things were absolutely perfect ...

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So first off, I need to apologize for not updating on time (usually Monday...), my intern stuff is really time consuming and I haven't had a chance, so sorry. Also, there was a little implication here in the end, anyone catch it? Its actually VERY subtle but we will see next chapter...Yay for happy endings! In case anyone is wondering, lets say Dominic is about 38-40 (IS possible, had kids young)and Leah is in her mid twenties towards 30. Before anyone starts bashing me lol, there have been worse age differences, and basically Leah will age till she's within his age (35?). Anyway, the story is not over! There is still one (or two I guess) major event taking place soon...I will do my best to update tomorrow, if not then by Saturday (again, busy...). Check out any of my other Twilight stories in the meantime, oh and of course please review this one ;-) Thank you all, love you!


	79. Love

Hello again, thank you for all the wonderful reviews and support, it is forever appreciated :) One reviewer brought up a very good point, concerning Jake's 'best man' (thanks VanillaDream2310)!) and it will be addressed in the first part of this chapter. Be warned! This chapter will contain some explicit 'imagery' (nothing porn-ish though) so if you cannot handle/do not want to read any 'sex' related material, I suggest you skip down to the last couple paragraphs or so…here's the next chapter, read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

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***************************Nessie*********************

I could feel the breeze through the open window, cool and light against my heated skin. The sheets were, miraculously, still in decent condition where I lay, the scent of my favorite wolf beside me. Birds chirped, the air whistled, and the waves crashed in a soothing lullaby, one I could definitely get used to waking up to.

"Good afternoon, Miss Cullen," Jake's husky voice seeped into my ear, a teasing gesture. I rolled my head around halfway to meet his in a chaste kiss.

I grinned. "Judging from the drool stain across your cheek I'd say I'm not the only who fell asleep."

He began to vigorously wipe away at said cheek, the dried saliva crusting away and onto the floor. I laughed at his expression. Jake and I had been together all day, finally crashing at his place for the evening. It seemed we both had the same idea within the first ten minutes that we'd arrived.

Nap time.

"Hey, Ness," Jake yawned, turning over so that he was on his side facing me. "I was thinking, and I don't know why it didn't occur to me before, or if it did I thought it might be weird considering she's your mom and all but—"

I interrupted him with a chuckle. "You want mom to be your best man, don't you? Instead of Tom?"

Jake blushed with guilt. "Well, I mean, I've been thinking about it for awhile now, and it just makes more sense since she's my best friend and all, but I would completely understand if it made you uncomfortable or—"

I rolled my eyes and answered him smoothly. "Jake, I already know about your history with mom, and I'm fine with it. Plus, you're ok with Oliver so why wouldn't I be ok with my own mother being your best man?"

Jake looked relieved. "Ok then. I'll ask her tomorrow. I don't think Tom will mind considering he hasn't actually _done_ anything. Speaking of which, was Alice really serious about flying in Japanese swans to decorate the front yard?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Jake, when Alice is involved, _anything_ is possible. Don't question her authority."

Jake laughed and pulled me in for a hug, a loud and sloppy kiss on my forehead.

I sighed, in contentment and frustration. Jake's body felt so good next to mine, warm and comforting—

—_fiery and muscular—_

—like home and all the good things in the world—

—_wonder what it would feel like REALLY pressed up against mine—_

—big and strong, protective—

—_I don't see what the big deal is, really, we are going to get married in a few months after all—_

"What?"

I stared over at Jake's wide-eyed expression. I immediately realized I'd been transmitting thoughts into his mind, though I had no clue when I'd began…_Uh oh, did he hear all of what I just thought?_

Jake shook his head in answer. "Just the last thing…Nessie, you're not thinking what I think you're thinking…right?"

His words both startled and bothered me. So what if I was thinking about _that_? It was only natural, I had urges too…

Jake was shaking his head again. I quickly stopped my thoughts from travelling, but the damage was done. "Nessie, believe me, I have urges just as much as you do, _more_ probably—"

I scoffed. "I doubt that." Jake looked at me incredulously, but I meant what I said.

We'd been engaged now for about eight months, and as much as I enjoyed every second with Jake, it was inevitable that our relationship want to travel towards a more physical arena. I could see that Jake—given bodily functions at certain moments—felt exactly the same way. I hadn't thought about it too much at first, but lately…

On top of all the amazing things my Jacob Black was, he was also incredibly, and invigoratingly attractive. And even more importantly, we loved each other. How could I _not_ want him?

Well, to be frank, I _really_ wanted him.

"Your parents would definitely not be happy if we—"

"So what?" I heard myself cut in. But Jake continued as if I hadn't said a word.

"Can you imagine how awkward it would be if Edward found out—"

"I don't care, Jake."

"And Bella! Don't even get me started on what she might do if—"

"Jake, I think we should do it."

"Come to think of it, your entire family might actually disown me—"

"Jake, did you hear me? I said I want to do it."

"And it would be very difficult for us to be happy if your family hated me—"

"Jake?"

"Even Charlie would hate me, and that's saying somethi—"

"Jake."

"I really want to, Nessie, believe me I do, but—"

"JAKE!"

He looked surprised. "Uh…yeah?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You mean you seriously didn't hear me just now?" He shook his head. Before he could utter another word, or move for that matter, I flipped over onto my side so that I was facing him directly, my hand brushing gently on his cheek.

_I want to, Jake. Now._

Jake's face froze. His lips began forming the infamous 'but' and I quickly silenced him.

_No. I don't care what anyone else says or thinks. This is us. Just us. We're going to be married in several months so what does it really matter?_

Deep brown eyes spoke volumes, expressed so much. I inched closer so that our knees intertwined of their own accord, the bareness of his legs like blazing coals against my jeans.

He started shaking his head, a slow side to side gesture, but … _Are…are you sure about this, Ness?_ His eyes asked me.

I tentatively leaned forward, closing the remaining gap between our faces and placing a gentle kiss on his plush lips. He answered hesitantly, the many questions of what we should do, what we shouldn't do, what could happen still evident in those eyes that mesmerized me with a single glance.

He was right, I knew it. The answers to those questions, the right thing to do, it was all quite plain to see.

But my body was already acting of its own free will.

And desire, passion, for the only one I would ever make love to, the only name I'd ever call out, had never burned so strong.

****************************Jacob*************************************

I gasped, overwhelmed with the blazing sensation coursing through my already heated body, fire in my veins, a haze before my eyes.

Nessie was serious, I could see it in her eyes, lusting like I'd only imagined in my dreams, in those wet lips, moistened once over again in anticipation, feel it between my legs, her lightning fast reflexes having somehow set her on top of me in a flash. And even with such a simple position, her lithe body, clad in mere jeans and an old T-shirt, straddled over my bare midriff…

It was a sight my hormonal instincts couldn't help but mentally alter.

_No, no, no! Jake, this is wrong! Remember what happened last time you thought she was putting the moves on you?_

Nessie smiled down at me, her chocolate eyes melting my scant resilience as she began to slowly—and much to my dismay, very sensually—lower her upper body onto mine.

_Wrong, wrong, wrong! Last time—_

_But last time she didn't actually admit she wanted to do anything—_

_Last time…well, yes, that's true…but—_

Her lips came into contact with my neck, and my breathing skyrocketed.

_Oh God, I—I…uh…_

_Just admit it, Jake, you REALLY want this—_

_Yeah, dude, you NEED this—_

_Whoa, where did the other little voice come from? This is wrong, and you know it, Jake! _

_We're in the twenty-first century! Everyone has sex before—_

"Aaaahhh…."

I couldn't help it. My beautiful, innocent angel was suddenly nipping at my earlobes, soft hands running delicately and erotically against my sides down to my hips, her clothed figure rubbing deliberately along the length of mine.

_Just admit it, Jake. Bottom line, she wants you…now._

…_and what Nessie wants, Nessie gets._

And the little voices finally reached a decision.

This was the woman I loved, the woman I would forever love. There would never be a woman as incredible as Renesmee Cullen, both in the mortal and immortal world: she was the perfection in both, the answer to my every possible wish, and she loved me. We were made for each other, in every possible way, the way water flowed seamlessly downward upon gravity's will, milk and cookies, the scratch to my itch, and the prayer for all hope and happiness. Making love to her would undoubtedly be …

Amazing. Indescribable. World-shattering. Into-Heaven-and-back-again. A union of parted souls…

My hands were already on her hips, bringing her down closer, a smile in response to my acceptance of the inevitable. Our lips met and I kissed her, slowly at first, passionately with unspoken truths and promises, promises of eternity. Then deeply, wanting, desperate … and things began to escalate to an entirely different level of kissing.

_This shouldn't even be allowed, it's so…hot!_

Her tongue delved into the hot cave of my mouth, the tiniest of moans setting my heart rate flying once over, on fire. My hands were another mind of their own, not only cradling but pressing tighter into the sides of her hips and down to her outer thighs, wary of the material separating them from the glory beneath.

"Take. Off." I heard myself mutter. Somewhere inside me one of the voices judged me with disgust for being so forward, for being such a—such a…_guy_.

But Nessie merely smiled at me and obliged, in one sweep pulling both jean and t-shirt away.

_I—I—I…_my brain couldn't even bring itself to slap me.

Before I could even revel in the beauty before me, clad in nothing but undergarments, worthy of any Victoria Secret model throughout history—

She unsnapped her bra.

*****************************Nessie*******************************

There was love, desire, lust, and an almost crazed glaze over his eyes as I removed my bra. I knew I was inhumanly attractive, and even though my breasts had stopped at a large B cup, Rosalie swore I will still 'eons beyond more beautiful than any super model to walk the earth' so it should have been no surprise an almost naked image of me would have such an effect on any male, Jake included.

The way he eyed my breasts however…

I almost laughed. _Wow, I guess he really is a guy to a point…_

But I used it to my advantage. Without hesitating I eased myself onto his firm body, my own reveling in the amazing temperature and the powerful muscles etched into each crevice. There was no hiding how excited my Jake was: I could feel it, hard and eager through the material of his shorts against my inner thighs.

_Those need to come off…_

And in less than a second, they were, which left both of us in merely…

Our thin … underwear…

My heartbeat was sprinting, nerves in complete disarray with the extremity of this new intimateness. Maybe we shouldn't be doing this so early, maybe Jake's right, maybe—

He leaned forward, his breath skimming along my ear to the edge of my bare shoulder, a soft tickle that sent a wild fire of butterflies rampaging my stomach, hurling downwards to—

I began another progression of frantic kisses along his strong jaw line, my own excitement increasing with his every groan, and every intake of breath.

"Nessie…Nessie…Nessie." He breathed, the beautiful sound music to my ears, spurring me to take us to the next step of pleasure, of utter joy.

I thrust my hands into his hair, grabbing and tugging with every surge of momentum our bodies suddenly found themselves in. There was no mistake in this, I just knew it. There couldn't be, not with the inexplicable sensation coursing through my body, my heart soaring with the revelation that we were about to make love.

Love.

The last of our garments stripped away with ease and I held my breath as our eyes met and held, any insecurities, any doubts, any change of mind completely erased as the final threshold to our relationship, the final barrier, was finally broken.

Sex, an act of physical intercourse for the means of reproduction.

Marriage, a union of two people, to celebrate their love and commitment.

Love … I couldn't think of any other definition for it than the one Jake and shared now. We moved in perfect sync, slowly as the walls of my virginity were carefully breached, caressed and simply … loved. I never once took my eyes off of him, watching eternally as our sensual experience transcended from cautious treading to overt desire, strides of necessity and longing. Rationalization, comprehension, impossibilities; none of it made sense, none of it was visible. The only thing we knew, the only thing that made sense, was us.

We'd waited too long for this moment, as ridiculous as that sounded. Jake and I were meant to be together, always and in every way.

"Jake, I—"

"I know, me too!"

He gasped, his eyes clenching tight for a brief second. His teeth grit with the surmounting ecstasy waiting to erupt. I could see stars, a blurry border of fantasy closing in on the one person that mattered. Our cries became incoherent, yelps of pleasure with the increased sensation. We rocked together, back and forth, thrusting blindingly, groping and entangling fingers in each other's hair, loins blazing with the unearthing, skin and muscle's taut with expectancy. It was near, the explosion on the verge of blowing. My muscles clenched, perspiration flowing beautifully down the length of my backside, a cavalcade of beads glistening like diamonds across my lover's chest. He pulled me in closer, his orbs piercing through my soul with intensity. So close, so very close…one last plunge into an endless abyss—

"Renesmee, I love you."

"I love you too, Jacob."

—and we cried out as the most pleasurable feeling exploded into existence.

************************Jacob*********************************

Nessie lay huddled by my side, her breathing slowly returning back to normal. I couldn't blame her, mine was still unbelievably fast.

"That was—was—"

I gently placed my hand over her mouth, allowing her another breath of air. "Ssh. I-I know."

I felt the corners of her lips tug upward, her eyes twinkling. _That_ _was amazing, Jake_.

I half-laughed, still too out of breath to chuckle properly. Nessie laughed aloud and placed a kiss on my cheek.

_Calm down, Jake! _

"Easy f—for you t—to say," I managed. But I wasn't frowning.

I pulled her closer to myself, the tangled, matted sheets completely forgotten on the floor. I knew now that this was no mistake. No, it was nothing short of perfect.

**************************Nessie*****************************

I felt drunk with happiness.

And perhaps a bit…sticky? _Ewww…better wash up a bit._

"Hey!" Jake exclaimed amusedly. "You started it, so no complain—"

I rolled my eyes as I rolled off the bed and grabbed one of Jake's stray T-shirts from the bedpost. "You liked it though."

Jake's growl sent my heart plummeting and I almost jumped back into bed with him. _Damn, Nessie, get it together. You have the rest of your life to have sex with him._

Incredible sex.

Unbelievable pinch-me-so-I-know-this-is-real sex.

My shoulders heaved slightly as I chuckled to myself on my way to the bathroom. I heard the phone ring and grabbed my clothes on the way. That could be Charlie and Billy on their way back…

The cold shower felt good against my skin, and yet a big part of me wanted nothing more than Jake's sweat and—well, you know—on me once more. I'd never felt more alive, more grown up, more…sexy.

The thought alone made me giggle.

We would have to make sure we keep this under stringent thoughts, however. Jake was right in one aspect: daddy would _not_ be happy about this.

I toweled my hair as I walked back into his room, smiling and still as floating in the air as before, not to mention still as…frisky.

_I'm sure Jake wouldn't mind another go…_I thought mischievously_. So much for the shower…_

"Hey, Jake," I started, removing the towel seductively as I opened the door to his room, but I immediately stopped with the sight that met me.

Jake sat on his bed with the most terrified expression on his face, blank with the implications of something terrible, something bad…

I rushed over with a foreboding sensation in my stomach. "Jake! What's wrong? Who was that? Is everyone ok?"

Jake turned to look at me slowly, his beautiful eyes twisted into an agony I would never forget, regret and hurt.

_Oh no, this can't be good…_

"Jake?"

The sound of my voice caused him to wince, and when he spoke it was in a soft whisper, barely audible in the silent room.

"That was Charlie. It's Billy, he—he had a heart attack." He gulped, as my eyes widened and I cringed with the words I somehow knew would follow.

"Nessie, he's," and the tears streamed freely, lacing the face of my Jake with the falling of my heart.

"He's gone."

* * *

**Long Author's Note**

As many of you have noticed *sobs* I am EXTREMELY late on this update. The truth is, my internship has started and I am now busy all day, eight days a week …yes, I said EIGHT! Which means I have hardly any extra time at all :( however, the story is almost over, so I think the worst that will happen is one update per week—which is still not bad at all when compared to the average update on fanfiction—please bear with me. I would be greatly saddened if my life coerced you wonderful readers/reviewers into being upset with me. I'll try my best to update sooner but again, careers should come first, after all.

On a happier note, I do thank you all for your continued support and love :) My days are getting longer and busier; this truly is my happy-place, my therapy, so thank you all for making it such a great experience. On a sadder note … I'm so sorry about Billy! But the truth is, we must all remember that life, even in this fantasy one, is not perfect. There can only be so many happy endings, and it just seems inevitable—one might even say 'just'—that our immortal characters be faced with the powerful force of reality. People die in real life, and so I decided bringing in this depressing-but-realistic element to the story would get us back on track to an important concept: not everything is a happy ending, even in stories. Again, not everything is perfect (as you can also see with Jake and Nessie's abrupt decision to have sex). Speaking of which, their love-making: not how I originally planned it. I was aiming for something more sensual, but decided in the end to make it a bit more physical—we all know they wanted it!—and just the slightest sensual…does that make sense? I do think I could've done this chapter better (and when I have time I probably will go back and make it better) but for the sake of time and updating, this is it for now. I do think the 'steaminess' was alright, let me know what you think please. I didn't want to make it complete porn (a lot of stories find it necessary to include various synonyms to 'shaft' etc) but…well idk, let me know in a review, yes?

I kind of have a feeling some readers may be uncomfortable with my train of thought, both with J&N's non-traditional first time, and Billy's death, but for me these are both realistic components. If anyone does have any questions/comments/etc please feel free to send me a private message/review and I will happily explain more thoroughly why I made things happen the way they did. The AN would be super long if I kept going here lol (isn't it already?). Anyway, next update soon, hopefully sooner than a week lol. I have one final surprise planned—involving Edward, sort of…heehee—so the story is not over yet! Review please and I will be more inclined to stay up late and deprive myself of sleep to appease your update-thirsty minds lol. Thanks.


	80. Inevitable

Hola everyone, hopefully this update gets out before the week is over lol. Thank you to those who have reviewed my latest chapter! I was hoping more of you would comment on the scene, considering it's a little 'different' from previous chapters, but I'm grateful nonetheless. Here's the next chapter (only two chapters left!), please read, review, and enjoy, thanks.

I do not—for the what? Millionth plus two time?—own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

*************************Bella****************************************

Change.

An end and a beginning all at once, green to white, warm to cold, blue to gray skies, a passing of life into death, and then all over again, an infinite cycle. It seemed only fitting, almost ironic, that Billy's funeral take place in autumn, when leaves changed color and dried, crinkling as they fell to the ground, their ultimate destination amidst an era of thriving life and vigor.

Watching him as he lay in his coffin, the memory of Chief Black came to mind, stronger than many of my other blurry human memories, and I couldn't help but think nothing different of the man.

Strong. Leader. Proud. Loyal. Honest. Good.

Everyone was there, the Quiluete's, Charlie, and even the rest of my family. And for once, no one disputed the presence of vampires across imaginary boundaries. This was a moment of the greater power at work, one neither vampire nor wolf could alter or influence. It was a truth we shared and had to live with.

There were few tears, and I think most of them—the ones who _could_ cry anyway—knew it unnecessary. Like their beloved chief, they remained strong. Even Jake, undoubtedly the most devastated of us all, put on a resolute face and accepted the truth of nature's course. When I looked at him I was reminded very much of his father. Billy would be proud of his son.

Charlie cried.

I did my best to comfort him, but I couldn't blame him. Billy had been, after all, Charlie's best friend for many, many years. Nessie remained by his side, her own tear-stained face set determinedly nonetheless. In her other hand, she held firmly to Jake.

It was a sad reality. Reality …

Immortality makes us take so many things for granted. Billy's death was just the beginning, too. Who would be next? Charlie? Renee? Angela? Mike?

A slap in the face, that's what it was. There is no such thing as a perfect life, even when you're potentially indestructible, amazingly beautiful, and virtually eternal. We all knew this, of course, but I suppose even vampires and shape-shifters can forget what it is to be human. Yes, we were immortal and forever, but powerless against greater forces.

Forces of real life. Even in the mythical world, there is no such thing as everlasting, not when we're living in the real world.

Time aided my best friend. Jake was hurting, as stoic a front as he portrayed, and it was all we could do but watch and wait. He healed slowly and silently, two months passing in a blur of inanimate hours of restlessness, an anxious Nessie waiting patiently for her fiancé to bounce back, and a tense wolf-pack checking in at the Cullens more usual than they ever had in the past. Nessie seemed to be the only one to make him smile nowadays; get him to say more than two sentences. The rest of us couldn't find much to say that we hadn't said already, even me. Nessie was undeterred.

She never left his side.

I could see how much deeper their relationship was getting as each day passed. And as much as I hated to admit, as terrified as it sounded, there was one thing I knew for sure.

My daughter was grown-up.

And in love. Unconditionally.

Looking at Edward I knew it would be the same—at least—for Nessie with Jake. And even though the thought of losing my little girl frightened the immortality out of me, I knew she would be ok. Jake was the best man for her, and she was even better for him. Ironic that I'd once thought no girl would ever be good enough for my best friend.

They say beginnings are a fresh start, something to look at positively. And even though I knew everything would be ok, the fact remained that my baby was leaving the nest we'd all so carefully detailed for her, from the moment she opened her beautiful, brown eyes to the moment she'd walked in announcing her engagement.

An ending and a new beginning; autumn really is the season of contradiction … funny how you can be so sad yet happy sometimes …

***********************Nessie*********************************

"Two more weeks, Ness, what's two more weeks?" Jake asked for the millionth time. As sensitive as I'd been with him since Billy's sudden death, this was an issue I was not going to budge on.

"Two more weeks that daddy will hold against us. Seriously, Jake, we should have just told him since the moment we found out. That night—"

"But Nessie, _sweetheart_, we're getting married in two weeks!" he exclaimed.

I looked at my worried fiancé—the word still sent shivers up my spine—and felt the recent familiar pang of guilt. The happiest moment of our lives was soon to come and yet there was the inevitable despair of loss foggy in the atmosphere.

Losing Billy had been a shock for us all, and it was a wonder Jake managed to smile at all. It pained me to see him so hurt and solemn. With time it had healed somewhat, however, no amount of time could amount to the loss of a loved one. If either of my parents somehow died…

I shuddered to even think of it.

"I know, Jake," I answered calmly, "but think about it. Can you really keep it out of thought much longer?"

Jake frowned. "Ness, we've held our own for this long. I'm pretty sure we can last another couple of wee—"

I raised an eyebrow at him and pointed at myself. "Well, unfortunately, _I_ can't hide it that easily. And anyway daddy suspects something already, I can tell. Haven't you noticed—"

"Ssssh!" Jake immediately pounced on me and covered my mouth. It was almost comical. With my hands firmly over his shoulders I rolled my eyes and continued.

_Daddy can still hear us if he's close by, silly. But don't worry, Carlisle promised me he wouldn't be around for another several hours._

Jake almost fell over.

"Y-you told C-Carlisle?"

Now it was my turn to frown. "Jake," I said matter-of-factly, "who better than Carlisle? And besides, this is _Carlisle_, the epitome of self-control. He wouldn't just let daddy know that we—"

"_Don't say it!"_

I rolled my eyes but managed a smile.

_Jake, listen to you._

He smiled back this time, which resulted in a sigh of relief on my part. The smiles were starting to come back these days. Given our current circumstance, this was definitely a good thing.

He took a deep breath and released it slowly, running his broad hands through his hair as he settled his deep gaze into my own. It was amazing the flutter my heart still raged into with these moments.

"You're not going to back down on this, are you?" he asked me carefully.

I smiled at him and shook my head side to side. _Nope_.

"And you want to tell him today?"

"Yes."

"This afternoon."

"Correct."

"Right after they come from hunting?"

"Better to get them on a full stomach."

"Yeah, because we all know how much more optimistic Edward is after he's eaten—wait, _them_?"

I frowned at him. Surely telling daddy meant mom too …

"As in, tell Bella too?"

"Well, duh? She is my mom, you know, and—"

He released his hold on me and flopped over to the couch, muttering incoherently beneath his breath. Seriously, even with my enhanced hearing I could make no sense of it. After a moment of jibberish he finally looked up at me with a tortured expression.

"Nessie, do you _want_ your parents to kill me?"

I laughed and joined him with an exasperated huff. "No, of course not. And I wouldn't worry too much about mom, she did the same thing—"

"After they got married." Jake interjected with a raised eyebrow. I dismissed the comment with a wave of my hand.

"Well, only because daddy's super old and traditional and stuff. We're living in a new generation! No need to do things old school—"

"Nessie!" Jake was holding my elbows now, his worried expression sending a pang of guilt down to my core.

"Are you really that worried?" I asked in a small voice. He didn't answer right away, and so I hurriedly continued through touch.

_Because I know you're still hurting from your dad, and if it's a matter of your sanity I wouldn't want to—_

"No, no, no," he quickly responded. "That's not it, Ness. I mean, of course I'm still sad, but … well, let's just say someone very special has helped me get through it all. And she still is."

"Oh, Jake." I instinctively pulled him into my embrace, hugging him tightly and reveling in his comforting fortress. We were just so perfect for each other it was ridiculous.

Not that I minded, of course.

"And I always will, you know that." I told him, kissing him briefly on the cheek. We gazed into each other's eyes for a few seconds, a hobby we'd acquired and practiced often. Even partially broken, my Jake was still the most beautiful creature in existence…

"So," he spoke into the silence, "how are we going to tell them?"

My face erupted into a broad smile and I threw myself once again into his waiting arms. "Oh, Jake! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

He rubbed my back and squeezed me, nuzzling into my hair as he continued in a huskier voice. "Ah, come on, now. You know I can't say no to you."

I giggled. _I know, but … are you sure? If you really don't want to—_

"Nessie," he pulled back, "I don't regret what we did that night. Believe me," his eyes travelled back two months ago to a magical night of twisted sheets and gleaming perspiration, "that's one thing I'm going to thoroughly abuse once we tie the knot—"

I smacked him playfully. "Hey!"

He feigned hurt. "_With_ your consent, of course," he laughed. His face turned serious again. "But anyway, I don't regret anything. And if these are the consequences, then what choice do I have but to face them head on, right?"

I swept in for another kiss before pulling back and surveying my perfection with admiration. "Jacob Black, I think we both just grew up a little bit more just now. Thanks for backing me up on this. I just know it's the right thing to do. Don't worry, I'll do most of the talking. Daddy can't kill me—"

"Renesmee Cullen!"

We both looked up in surprise with the new arrival. My thoughts began to flee in panic with the look on my aunt's face.

_Uh oh…_

I folded myself into a more appropriate position on the couch and turned a dazzling smile in my aunt's direction. "Hi, Alice, what—"

She narrowed her eyes at me and cut me off. "Don't you 'hi, Alice' me, young lady. I just had a blurred vision followed by a very, very, _very_ angry Edward. And from the sound of your little conversation just now, you're hiding something. Spill."

I looked to Jake for an answer, but his beet red complexion gave away my reflected lack of a response and humiliation. How much had she heard? Wait, was she—

"Were you eavesdropping?" I accused, in hopes of turning the finger. Alice was no bait, however, and she only pursued her investigation by attacking Jake.

"Jacob," she said briskly, "what are you going to tell Edward today?"

Jake looked horrified.

"Alice," I begged in a softer voice, "please don't say anything just yet. It was kind of a 'in the moment' action and we never thought I'd be capable, that is _we'd_ be able to—well anyway, we still have to figure out how to tell him, you can be there too if you'd like, just—"

"OH MY GOD!"

We both froze as Alice suddenly jumped into the air with her epiphany and pointed an accusing finger at the both of us.

"DON'T TELL ME YOU ACTUALLY—AND THEN YOU—AND EDWARD HASN'T FOUND OUT—AND—"

"Alice!" I hissed. "Please, keep it down!"

She immediately fell silent and smiled widely. I grimaced. _Great, she has one of those 'just imagine the possibilities' smiles…_

"So then it's true, isn't it? And let me guess, you're—"

"_Alice_!" this time we both hissed at her.

She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Relax, relax. I'll make sure not to think about it. That is, if what I'm thinking is right at all. You could give me a yes or no answer, you know, a simple—"

I glared at her.

"Geez! Ok, ok, ok," she pouted, turning her nose into the air as she stalked out of the room. "Just remember, though," she called out as she exited, "I get to hear the news at the same time as Edward and Bella!"

I groaned into my hands and fell limply onto Jake's lap. He chuckled. "Well, I guess we really don't have a choice now," he said.

I turned over so that I was laying my head on his lap. "I know … The things we do for love, huh?"

He smiled down at me and leaned forward to place a kiss on my nose and then my lips. "No, not just for love, for each other."

I rolled my eyes. "Did anyone ever tell you how corny you can be sometimes?"

He laughed softly and began to weave his fingers through my hair in a calming manner. I almost purred.

_That feels so good …_

He arched an eyebrow. "Don't get too relaxed now, Ness. Remember, we still have to think of how we're going to tell your parents … and Alice, I guess."

_Ugh, I know… Well, whatever happens, just remember you still got me and I got you, ok?_

He bent his knees so that our faces were within centimeters apart. "And you said I was the corny one."

I giggled barely before soft skin met mine in a delicious crushing of folded lips.

Might as well enjoy this happy time as long as I could. One thing was for sure: even if mom did accept our latest confession, daddy was not going to be happy…

* * *

Soooooooooooooooo, lol, first things first. I apologize (again!) for this late update. My career stuff is just so exhausting and time consuming but at least I didn't go past two weeks, right? Anyway, this chapter isn't too exciting, however, it is a setup for what's to come in the next chapter … a yummy surprise heehee, that is if no one has figured it out yet… It's not that hard to figure out, I think, but you'll find out for sure in chapter eighty-one. I mentioned in the A/N up top that the response to the previous chapter wasn't what I expected. Call me a little greedy—and hey, what fanfiction author isn't when it comes to reviews?—but I was a bit disappointed more readers didn't review. Kind of makes me want to go back NOW and change some stuff in that chapter, idk…so uh, review, please? Lol, I have a Final Fantasy VII story coming out REAL soon as well (like maybe within a week) so if anyone is interested, keep an eye out, I'm very excited about it! Well, got to get to practice now, so thank you all for your love and support, I love you all and will update as soon as I possibly can, thanks!


	81. Two Much

Thank you so much for all the great reviews, this is the second to last chapter. Read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

* * *

****************************Jacob*****************************

_Breathe, just breathe, everything will be ok—_

"Jake."

_Edward can't hear us yet so there's still a chance I can grab Ness and run for cover. Bella will keep our thoughts shielded so long as Nessie begs—_

"Jake."

_Or maybe I can convince Emmett to hold him down for the wedding. Wouldn't want to ruin the day for Nessie—_

"Jacob."

_Then again, we could always elope. We already did the other untraditional stuff anyway—_

"Jacob!"

_If I can just convince Bella to shield us for a bit longer, then we have a chance of_—

"Ow!"

I looked up in surprise, massaging the back of my head where Nessie had suddenly swiped at me. She raised an eyebrow at me and crossed her arms expectantly. I sighed. "Sorry, sorry, I'm just really—"

"Petrified?"

"—nervous." I finished with a frown, still rubbing. She'd gotten me good.

"Jake," she started—for the thirty-seventh time—"just relax and stand by my side. That's all I ask. Let me do the all the talking, daddy won't—"

"Be very happy when he finds out—"

"Ssshh!" she hissed at me, whirling around expectantly. I nodded my head in mock understanding.

"So, you're a little nervous yourself, eh?"

She swatted me again, just not as hard this time. "Of course I'm nervous! This is _I'm-going-to-kill-you-if-you-so-much-as-graze-her-butt_-_daddy_ we're talking about! Mom isn't going to be too happy either, mind you, so maybe you _should_ get ready to run just in case—oh crap."

I turned around towards the direction of her added disappointment…and groaned in unison.

"Hello, darling," Barbie smiled at Nessie, eyes narrowed in suspicion. She turned a cold gaze at me. "Dog." She circled around so that her hand rested on Nessie's shoulder, never lifting the icy stare fixated on my soon-to-be carcass. "What's going on here? What did you do, mongrel?"

"Rosalie," Nessie immediately interjected, "Jake didn't do anything, there's just something we have to tell daddy—er, that is, inform him of..."

Rosalie might've been blonde but—sadly—she was no idiot. She noticed the immediate blush rising in my angel's face, the averting, uncomfortable eyes. And considering this was Rosalie we were talking about…

"Dog, I'm going to repeat myself once: what did you do."

Of course, blame it on the _dog_…damn, not even a question. Fingers pointed all the way…

I glared at her—though the huge part of me terrified with my upcoming death transformed it into a look of stomach pain instead—"None of your business, Barb—"

"Oh, children!" Alice came bounding in with a broad grin, her eyes narrowing immediately with Rosalie's looming presence. She ignored it after a quick second and turned her attention back to us. "Bella and Edward are almost here, I'd say you have about five minutes to get your wits together. Rose, just leave them alone. You can have front row seats with Jasper and me—"

"Hey, now wait a minute—" I started to protest, but Alice and Rosalie both growled before I could continue. Nessie sighed beside me.

"Ok, ok, we'll be there in a few minutes. Just give us some privacy, yeah?" she asked quietly. I looked at her in surprise. What had happened to discrepancy?

Her aunts left with similar smug expressions on their faces. I turned to Nessie in horror. "So now the ice queen is going to find out too—"

"Well, they all might as well," she sighed, her shoulders sagging with the invisible but very solid weight. I felt the ever-increasing guilt crash down on my own body with the chewed lip and downcast eyes avoiding my own. If only we had waited, if only I'd never—

"Ness," I spoke softly, drawing her small form into my larger one, "I'm so sorry, sweetie. This is all my fault, I—"

"Stop it, Jake," she cut in, a small smile lacing those beautiful features, "if I remember correctly, _I_ seduced _you_, remember?"

I shifted uneasily. "Well, yes, but I could've said—"

"Said _no_? To sweet, little, innocent me?"

I brought her in for a kiss, one she eagerly sought back and reveled in too long for comfort—remembering what lie before us was the only thing that kept me from grabbing her and losing ourselves in the shadow of the forest. She looked up at me through glazed eyes.

"It will be fine, Jake."

I made to respond, sure of the words about to come out of my mouth, justified with that incredible smile pursing lips up at me, those telling brown eyes, a world where nothing could go wrong, when—

"Nessie, Alice told me you had something to ask me before you tell us something?"

—Bella walked in the room.

****************************Nessie**************************

I could feel Jake tense right away with mom's entrance. I took a small breath and smiled at her confidently.

"Hi, mom. Yeah, I was hoping you could do us a favor. Jake and I have something really important to tell you guys and I just think it would be better if daddy didn't know beforehand…"

She nodded in understanding, though her eyes narrowed slightly with suspicion. "You want me to shield you two?"

Jake nodded silently beside me, a nervous smile playing dumbly on his lips. I managed to find my voice. "Please?"

Mom looked at us for a long moment before nodding her consent. I quickly got up off the couch and led the way out, Jake following like a magnet behind me. I grabbed my mother's wrist on the way out.

_Thanks mom, you have no idea how hard this is for me…_

Which of course only narrowed her eyes even more. Nevertheless, she followed us out into the den where—nothing at all to my surprise—the rest of my family waited eagerly. My eyes only latched onto one person, however, whose golden eyes told volumes of emotions and pleas. My heart fluttered faster with the nerves, and it took all my focus and determination to not change my mind.

I took a deep breath as I finally came to a halt in the middle of the room. Mom was already by daddy's side, her arm placed securely around his waist. I was grateful; even though she undoubtedly knew something was up—something that daddy was clearly already deciding he wouldn't like—she was ready for anything.

_Would she be though? After I told them all what Jake and I had…what I was now…_

Carlisle cleared his throat from beside me somewhere, and I looked at him for a split-second, my sudden fear more evident than anything else in the room.

_Well, maybe beside's daddy's fear…_

But Carlisle simply smiled at me, an innocent expression that told me one thing: he was purposefully thinking of something else. I cast a quick glance into daddy's direction. Sure enough, he was eyeing Carlisle with increased suspicion, his stone behavior increasing with each second that passed.

My decision wavered. Maybe I _should_ wait, two weeks wasn't too long after all. Maybe if I just—

"Jake and I have something to say," I heard myself speak, a foreign confident voice I hardly recognized as my own. The terrified version inside of me squeaked with realization.

"As you all know, our relationship has been progressing really well, and we're finally going to be married in two weeks, and…"

I could see a glimmer of something spark in daddy's eyes.

"And, we, uh, know how important it is in this family to do things the right way…"

The glimmer turned into an unfathomable hint of recognition.

"Which is why we decided to tell you in the first place…"

Daddy was starting to sit up straighter.

"Because we know how important, uh, the, uh, right thing, to do, uh…"

He was on his feet now, the thin line of his mouth getting tighter.

"And of course, Jake and I love each other very much. We know there will never be anyone else, we _knew_ anyway…"

_Oh no, the eyes are starting…_

"So we figured, that is, _I_ mostly figured, considering we were going to be married in a matter of a couple of months…"

_Crap, here come the nostrils too…_

"That, uh, that there was really no point in waiting to…geez, it's hot in here? Jake, don't you think it's hot in here?"

"Nessie, for pete's sake, just spit it out!" Alice suddenly cut in. But I couldn't find my voice anymore, not with daddy standing dangerously tall beside mom, his fists clenched as he waited for the dreaded words to escape my mouth. I felt my head shake side to side. Jake had been right, we should have just waited, screw it if anyone noticed my expanding abdomen, I could always blame it on overeating, no one would be the wiser. We could just say the speed was due to my vampiric genes, no need to freak anyone out now—

"We're pregnant!"

And all hell broke loose.

I stared at my fiancé in appall. How could he? Why would he? He turned a confident smile in my direction, only slightly disheveled when my eyes widened in horror and my jaw went slack. There was no time for any of us, however, the next thing I knew—

"YOU!"

And I instinctively flung myself in front of Jake, though one look at daddy's face told me even I was at risk.

"I'll deal with you later, young lady," he snarled, "now MOVE!"

Mom was by his side in a flash, and for a brief second I almost sighed in relief…before I saw her face, that is. In one fluid movement she lifted me out of the way and daddy surged forward.

"Jake, no!" I cried out, but much to my surprise—

"AAAGGH! LET ME GO NOW!"

"Woah! I finally get you in a death lock before you can see me coming! Awesome—"

"Emmett, now is not the time—" I started.

"Nessie! Our little girl, all grown up! Way to go Jake!"

I let out a strangled moan into my hands. Leave it to Emmett to make even this comical. Daddy was not going to—

"Emmett, you idiot! She's your niece! That _mutt_ violated your—"

"Sorry, bro," he silenced daddy with an adjustment of his huge arms, "but my niece is a young woman now, and as far as I know, that _mutt_ loves her more than anything in the world. So you need to let her talk. If I don't remember correctly—"

"Bella, stop!"

It took both Alice and Jasper to hold mom down, I only wondered why she'd taken so long to act at all.

Rosalie suddenly came into the picture, aiding Emmett but jumping into an argument nonetheless. Daddy continued to struggle against them, his eyes burning with conflicting emotions of rage and despair.

"Young woman or not, that _thing_ has no right to just take her before marriage—"

"Rose, this is none of your business, just—"

"Oh yes it is!"

I tuned them out immediately and looked towards the remaining pair. Carlisle and Esme seemed at a loss, unsure of whether to come to my side, help out Emmett and Rosalie, or Alice and Jasper. I surveyed the room several times over, noting suddenly how ridiculous the situation was getting. It dawned on me then that there was no reason for any of this nonsense. I was pregnant, not dying.

I started to laugh.

Jake was the first to notice, a horrified expression that clearly read 'oh no, she's lost it' written all over his face. My laughter began to get louder, slowly drawing in the rest of my family's gazes with curiosity and confusion. It wasn't until daddy's hands began shaking me—apparently Emmett and Rose finally let him go—that I opened my eyes and lazily wiped the tears away from my face.

"Renesmee," he spoke evenly, though I could still hear the anger in his voice. "What is so damn funny?"

Everyone in the room froze, even Jake—who from the moment daddy had gripped my arms began to growl. I wasn't afraid anymore, however.

I took a breath and managed to gasp out, "A-all of you! I mean, come on, I'm pregnant, it's supposed to be a beautiful thing, right?"

For a second I actually thought he might throw me across the room and launch himself into strangling Jake, but instead—

"A beautiful—A BEAUTIFUL THING?" and again with the shaking…

Carlisle was suddenly by my side, looking him straight in the eye. "Edward, I don't think you should be handling her like that, she's already two months in and—"

Daddy let me go instantly and his expression tore into more pieces as he returned his grip onto Carlisle. "So you knew all along? How could you—why didn't you—"

"Because it was not my place to say anything." Carlisle replied smoothly, not at all perturbed that Edward's nose was within centimeters from his own, the infamous crazy eyes set high with life, and his fingers actually tearing into Carlisle's sweater. Daddy turned his tortured expression back on me.

"Nessie, how could you? You know how important it is to wait before marriage. It's the traditional—"

"Oh, screw traditional!"

Now it was my turn to go 'crazy-eyed.' Mom swiftly whisked daddy away from tearing away more of Carlisle's upper clothing and to her side. She had a look on her face I'd see when I knew she had her mind set. Determination and confidence.

"Nessie," she turned towards me, "first of all, you are punished for the next two weeks, grounded. Which means no Jake after a limited curfew, and _definitely_ no more sex—"

"Bella!"

"Mom!"

She waved away our identical expressions of horror and proceeded with a roll of her eyes. "Yes, I said sex, we're all adults here, get used to it. I don't want you to get the wrong idea, Renesmee. What you and Jake did is very untraditional, and inappropriate, but considering—"

"Bella, why are you doing this to me?" daddy turned a hurt look into her eyes. I could tell it took all her control to not look and give in; though this would only really register later…I was still quite shocked.

"Be quiet, Edward. As I was saying, considering you are going to be married soon, and Jake," here she turned a pointed look into my speechless wolf's eyes, "will NEVER sleep with anyone else, then…I think no real harm has been done."

Alice squealed, Rosalie 'hmphed', Emmett high-fived Jasper, Carlisle and Esme smiled, Jake gawked, and daddy…

He was silent for a long moment, his expression changing so fast it was hard to keep up. I tentatively took a small step towards him, ready for the opposite force waiting to erupt from his incessant rage when it came to my 'purity.' His eyes were unfocused, staring but not really staring into my mother's serene golden. When he finally looked at me it was an expression that made my heart skip a beat and my mind reel with possibilities.

Two choices: reach forward, or run for my life, hmmm…

And then daddy did the most amazing thing.

In one stride he pulled not only me but Jake as well into the tightest, most fatherly hug I would ever experience.

My entire body heaved a sigh of relief as I took in his familiar, secure scent. Jake couldn't stop grinning beside me. It was a long moment of acceptance of the inevitable, of judgment, of peace. When he finally pulled away it was with a sad smile.

"I see that you really are grown up, Ness. Not that I like it," he added, frowning slightly, "but I guess Jacob will feel the same way someday, won't you?"

Jake grinned stupidly. "Yes, sir, Edward."

Daddy rubbed the back of his head, suddenly turning a quick glance towards my grandfather. As if on cue, Alice suddenly perked up.

"So, how is this going to work then, Carlisle? Is she going to have the baby like Bella, time-wise I mean?"

_Uh oh_…I glanced at Jake, who asked me the same question with his eyes…_should we tell them the other part yet?_

Daddy didn't turn our way so I assumed mom was still shielding us…_thank goodness…_

"Well," Carlisle was saying, "from the looks of it, the pregnancy will be a bit longer, about seven months tops, maybe. Though we do already know the gende—"

"OOH! What is it!" Rosalie suddenly squealed, by my side and putting her head against my abdomen. It was only slightly rounded at this point, nothing a normal human would relate to being pregnant, but definitely too large for a perfect, flat vampire stomach.

I chanced another glance towards daddy. Still no reaction…_maybe mom's shielding Carlisle too…_

"No way! It's going to be a boy! It has to be!" exclaimed Emmett excitedly.

"So what is it then, Nessie?"

"Yeah, tell us!"

"Just tell them, sweetie, it's a girl, right?" insisted Rosalie, her brilliant smile looking up at me as she continued to rub my stomach. I smiled awkwardly as I nodded.

"Well, yeah, it's a girl…"

"Aww! How cute! But it would've been nice to have another boy in the family…" Emmett's shoulders slumped slightly. Jake was clutching my hand now, ready for the final blow we were about to unleash.

"Well, it's kind of a boy…" he added slowly. At this, Rosalie suddenly stood up, her expression confused, as were the rest of my family's—excluding Carlisle, and he was beaming.

"Wait, Nessie said it was a girl—" Esme said reluctantly.

"It is." I replied.

"But Jake said it's a boy—" added Jasper calculative.

"It is." Jake responded.

"So then, it's a boy, _and_ a girl?" mom was suddenly behind daddy, her hands locked tightly around his elbows.

Jake squeezed my hand one more time before we answered in unison. "It is."

I looked into my daddy's face, gone even paler with the last truth of the day. My stomach clenched and I winced. _Damn, and just when things seemed like they were going to be ok…_I took one last breath and looked directly into his wide, golden eyes.

"We're having twins."

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Surprise! Lol, I do hope you liked it, twins! Isn't it just too perfect? Well, I think so, anyway…Poor Edward, lol, how much can his overanxious self take! Hahahahaha! Well, anyway, there's only one chapter left _ so please review until I can post it. Don't forget also that I will be posting a preview of the sequel to this story right after (so if you want to think of it like 'two more chapter'…) so stay tuned! Thanks again for all the great reviews and love, I couldn't have made it this far without you guys


	82. The Moon is Mine

And here it is, the final chapter of The Moon is Mine. If I didn't reply to any reviews I apologize, I lost track of where I left off with the extended time between this update, so sorry. This chapter is more of a cheesy happy ending lol, but I think it is a good ending regardless, hopefully you like it ;) . Please remember there will be an additional installment/chapter after this one containing an Extended Author's Note and the Preface to the next book in what I'm starting to think will be a series. Thank you all so much for everything, I am forever yours and eternally grateful :) Read, review, and enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new characters in this story.

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****************************Nessie*********************************

"_T-twins? As in, t-two b-babies?"_

_We nodded slowly, carefully. Mom's jaw was dropped but her resolute remained firm, white fingers practically crushing the points of daddy's elbows in fear of what we all thought he might do: run us over in less than a second … pull his hair out and scream in rage … kill Jake and knock me out … there were so many possibilities …_

_Another long moment followed, one of silence and awe and happiness and shock. For daddy it was mostly incoherency, a trait not suitable for his handsome face. He lifted his arms up, almost in a choking gesture towards Jake—at which I protectively stood in front of him—his eyes wretched with uncertainty, and then—_

_He let himself fall down onto the loveseat behind him, mom following with grace. His eyes stared off into a faraway place, one only mom would be able to bring him back from. I took three meaningful steps towards him but Jake held onto me, his eyes telling me to have patience._

_And then he looked at me … and smiled, his golden eyes resurfacing with a proud light. He beckoned for me and I eagerly joined in the embrace of my parents._

Jake laughed with my clear absence.

"Still thinking about your dad's reaction?"

I hugged him closer as we sped down the empty road, clutching his middle unnecessarily as the bike raced faster and faster. "Yeah, can you believe it, Jake? I mean, he's actually ok with it! My daddy! Edward Cullen, the most uptight—"

Jake turned around briefly to meet me in kiss. "Don't push it, Ness. For all we know he could be following us now, making sure we don't—"

"Have more sex?" I teased into his ear. He grinned at me and revved the engine meaningfully.

_Don't tempt me, Mr. Black…_

I could feel his heated skin spark and I joined in the laughter. Everything was good, no—great! I felt a million things and none of them coherent enough to be put into words. It was as if my entire existence was finally falling into place, no longer would I be part of two worlds but create my own where everything was just as it should be. Fairy tales did exist, and happy endings really could go on forever. And as for our babies …

_Hey, Jake, so I was thinking, about names for our little ones …_

"Hey, you're right, huh? Wow, I hadn't even thought about that yet ... here, let's pull up by the beach."

The bike slowed to a stop and we stepped off, Jake helping me as if I needed it—really, just because I was pregnant didn't mean I was suddenly more sensitive—but I enjoyed it anyway. He grabbed my hand and we made our way to the edge of the ocean, the remaining rays of sunshine just peaking over the horizon, a swirl of purple and orange blending deliciously across the darkening sky. I could already see the full moon illuminated high up, beams of hope and a new chapter widening its berth …

"I was thinking we should name the boy Billy, if that's ok with you?" I asked hesitantly. As soon as I knew we were having a boy, I'd known giving him Billy's name was the right thing to do. Jake turned to me with an incredulous smile.

"Aw, Ness, you took the thought right out of my mind. Did you hear that, dad? Your grandson's going to be named after you!" he looked up meaningfully with a wistful smile. I squeezed his hand: _Billy it is._

We stopped at the water's edge, the soft lapping of the waves a peaceful lullaby for our moment of happiness. "As for the girl—" I started to say, but Jake interrupted me.

"How about we give her the first name that comes out when we see her?"

I tilted my head in confusion. _But why would we—_

He shrugged his shoulders in response. "I don't know, I think we've done enough before getting married as it is," he grinned, "we can let Edward name her since he's been such a good sport about this entire thing."

_Oh yes, daddy's going to be thrilled with that ... he'll probably want to name her 'Bella' …_

I felt myself lifted into the air as Jake began to laugh out loud as he swung me into an arc and back into his arms. We landed softly on the moist sand, a fiery, passionate kiss erupting from out of nowhere. His hands touched me gently, almost delicately, but lips burned feverishly. I moaned into his mouth and immediately began to pout when his face pulled the slightest inch away from mine.

"Jake, no, I—"

Jake shushed me with another kiss, this one more passionate than the first. Somehow we ended up several feet away from where we'd landed and I was leaning against his bare chest, a sigh of utter contentment escaping my lips.

"Jake," I spoke, hardly louder than a whisper, "you know that I love you, right?"

He kissed my ear and mumbled against it. "Of course, but did you know that I love you more?"

I rolled my eyes and smacked him playfully. "Don't be ridiculous, I—"

"Oh, so you didn't know? Well, now you do."

I turned around with a big grin. "Hey, that's not what I mean—"

He dove in before I could finish. I laughed, pushing him away and failing miserably.

"That's not—fair—I—hey, wait a—"

But I found myself covered in Jake-kisses, unable to retaliate. He finally pulled away with a glazed look across his face. "I'm so happy right now! I could swim across this ocean and back, I bet I could even outrun Edward. Hey! Would you still tolerate me if I started howling like a lunatic right now how crazy in love I am with you?"

I laughed with the irony. "You mean like an actual wolf?" Something suddenly occurred to me, and I quickly backtracked. "Actually no, maybe you shouldn't. I've heard you howl before, only ..." I paused, recalling all the painful howls my Jake had emitted. "Well, every time you howl it's been because you've been sad, and I just can't bear to …"

He hugged me tighter against his chest, sighing with a small smile on his lips. "Nessie, Nessie, sweetie, let me explain. First off, I'm not actually going to howl, just joking, but even then I will admit that, in the past, howling has always been a sign of sadness, has taken a small part of it with me, a piece of my heart that somehow, with everything that's happened, always managed to stay lost, as if the moon itself began to slowly decay, no matter how full it appeared to be in the end." A melancholy expression came over his face, and I was instantly regretting bringing up such a stupid topic at all when—

"But all that's changed now, now that I have you, and it wasn't until very recently that I realized something."

I felt my heart stop for some reason. "And what's that?" I asked.

He looked at me tenderly, eyes melting into the most beautiful brown, the softest smile escaping those beautiful lips, stopping the entire universe in its course to proclaim the most beautiful words. "That your love has brought every piece together, a swelling heart full to the brim. See?" he placed my hand against his chest, the steady pulse of his heart already in perfect sync with my own.

"Renesmee Cullen, you are the answer to every question that has ever threatened to baffle me, a destiny I would pursue again and again without pause, and I love you, for all eternity and more."

I looked at him for a long moment, cherishing it but laughing nonethless. "Jake, seriously, have you ever heard how cheesy you sound?"

Jake hung his head in mock hurt but quickly raised it to grin at me. Even so, the idea of hearing Jake howl—even out of fun—brought about too many sad memories. I took his hand in mine and looked at him meaningfully.

"Since everything's good now, then no more howling, ok? No more shattered pieces?"

Jake laughed as he pulled me in for another kiss. "Nessie, you silly girl, having you is all I'll ever need. With you the moon is mine, and it won't ever break apart so long as I love you."

I considered throwing in another 'cheesy' comment but instead felt myself relax deeper into my wolf's embrace, snuggling into the home I'd searched for all my life and would always have.

"I love you forever, Jake."

Jake's husky voice was the last thing I heard before we melded into another passionate kiss towards the rest of our lives together.

"The moon will always be mine, Nessie."

And I knew it always would be.

**Fin**.

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Thank you to all. Reviews at this point would be greatly appreciated :-) Please read the final installment to this story in chapter 83: Extended Author's note/ Sequel Preface for some last minute thoughts and updates. I love you all!


	83. Extended ANSequel Preface

**Hello again to all my faithful readers, it has been quite a ride, has it not? And what say you about the ending? Cheesy, or what? Lol, well I was actually quite satisfied with it, a happy ending, and at least I managed to fit in the title, right? Hopefully you liked it :) **

**This segment is primarily a focus on the eternal appreciation I feel towards each and every one of you. No infinite amount of words could ever rival the thanks I owe to every one of you, but I will give you a preview anyway. You are amazing, incredible, too kind, the end of the earth and back, encouraging, make-my-smile-broaden, over the top, wonderful, lovely, I-just-want-to-shower-you-in-thanks, absolutely astounding! Thank you. Thank you for the remarkable reviews, the alerts, the fave's, the heartening words that allowed me to finish such a monster chaptered story lol. As some of you may remember, this is my first fanfic and I could not have imagined a better scenario. Really, I never dreamed The Moon is Mine would result in such positive light and now I feel as if I do actually have talent! Miraculous, isn't it?**

**When I first started this story, I will be honest, I had no idea where exactly it was going to go. The first paragraph was written, followed by the sudden idea of Jake wanting a grown-up-Nessie prematurely, and the strange sight of Carlisle arguing. I hoped it would be enough to get some piqued interest. Afterwards, the chapters came as they did, one by one, still no primary plot in mind but the smaller idea of Jake trying to overcome his hormonal mind to remain close to Nessie. I think my plot actually began to form much later on, perhaps somewhere in the twenties? Anyway, my point is, the entire experience has been a learning and moving one for me. If it weren't for you all, my readers, I might have just kept the story as I'd started: the main focus of how Jake overcame the uglies lol. However, thanks to the many amazing reviews, this story transgressed beyond what I'd ever thought and became something more. Not only that, but it became a major part of my life—is that pathetic?—everyday I looked forward to writing another segment, finish a chapter, read reviews and messages from these unbelievable people that claimed my story was good! On a personal level I have never had a high self-esteem, so you can imagine what this praise did for me, how much it meant to read something as simple as 'You're an awesome writer, keep going!' You may not believe me but I'm telling the truth: this story is as much a product of its fans as it is mine. Without you we wouldn't be here at this point that we are today. Thank you :)**

**So you guys get the point I think, lol, I freaking love you all! Kisses and hugs to everyone from tookkia! But what happens now? Alright here goes…**

**Along with this author's note, you will find the preface to the story following The Moon is Mine. Please note that I say 'preface' and not 'first chapter.' I did mention sometime earlier that I would be previewing the first chapter, however, I have changed my mind and decided a preface would be more appropriate. The first chapter of the next story will contain what most of you may already guess: the wedding, honeymoon, probably some funnies lol, and so I would like to show you something you can't guess at—aren't cliffy's my strong point anyway? Hehe—and something that will hopefully make you eager for more. **

**Also, keep an eye out for various one-shots! The latest is a oneshot titled 'The Best Kisser in the World'. I have posted a poll on my profile page asking what one-shot **_**you**_** would like to witness, and so by all means, vote! Chances are if I get a personal request (like in a private message) that sounds interesting, I will do it. I'm a sucker for eye-twitching, and once it starts to flutter, I find myself on the other end of another one-shot, so…hint hint lol. I do already have a couple one-shots written if you haven't read them already, and an additional collection called The Twilight Scrapbook of Memories that will be mostly 'what if' letters, journal entries, AU short scenes, and other fun, random, comical stuff. My hopes are to appease the Twilight appetite long enough in time for the sequel. Hopefully I can oblige.**

**Let's see what else?**

**Oh yes! I do hope the ending of The Moon is Mine was up to expectations. I admit it may have been a bit corny (a bit?lol) but I am satisfied with it nonetheless. As always, if there are any questions, comments, concerns, etc do not hesitate to ask! I understand many of you do not have an account and so if you really would like to contact me, my fanfic email is tookkia (at) gmail (dot) com **

**Of course, write the symbols instead of the actual words 'at' and 'dot'. You may also ask in a review if you'd like, but just remember that if you wish to leave your email there you must do so in a fashion similar to the way I did mine, without symbols and with added spaces. Fanfiction does not allow emails to show otherwise. **

**Update Jan. 30, 2011**

**If you are reading this now, guess what? The sequel to The Moon is Mine is already posted! It's called 'And Always, I Promise'. Truth be told, it hasn't received as much attention as I had hoped … but nonetheless, I will continue writing it for anyone still interested. There is an entire story I have yet to share with anyone willing to listen ;)**

**Again, I am eternally grateful to all, thank you so much for everything. I think I have said enough lol, so onward with the preface. Read, review/private message me if you'd like, and of course, enjoy!**

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*************************Jake********************************

"AAAhhh! Ness, no!"

My beautiful wife fell dramatically onto the floor, her eyes rolling backward and her hand following characteristically across her forehead. The lilt of her breathing chest stopped and she became unmoving.

I raised my head and began to cry out with as much intensity. "Why! Why oh why! My beautiful—oof!"

I rolled away backwards as our little boy swiftly came to his mother's rescue.

"Mommy, no!" cried out Billy. For a second I thought he was falling into character, but then—

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to push you so hard! I'll never push you again! We'll never play this again! We—"

"Hey, hey," Nessie immediately came out of her feigned immobility and cradled our son's tear-stained face. "I'm ok, Billy. Don't cry, we're just pretending, remember?"

Billy blushed and looked away, hugging her but running away immediately in embarrassment. Behind me our daughter sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Geez, what a cryb—"

"Christina." I warned sharply, but she was already silent, her eyes staring absentmindedly as if out of focus. Nessie pursed her lips and repeated my warning.

"Christina. Stop patronizing him, now."

The pale skinned, dark-haired girl looked up at our scolding expressions sheepishly, a guilty grin already giving her away. "I'm sorry, momma. It's just, Billy cries for everything!"

I unconsciously rubbed the back of my head, unsure of how to respond. She did have a point: we had quite the delicate son, though I still couldn't figure out whose side he'd gotten it from.

"Probably from Edward's melodramatics…" I muttered without thinking.

Nessie smacked me swiftly before turning her attention to Chris. "He's your brother, Chris, and you should accept him the way he is. Using your little gift to make fun of him—"

"But I wasn't making fun of him—" she immediately protested. We both looked at her incredulously. "—this time." she added weakly. Nessie threw her arms in the air and grabbed my arm briefly.

_Your turn._

Before she fled back towards the direction our son had ran to. I sighed and motioned for Chris to come towards me. She obliged with a quick skip and a charming smile. It was all I could do not to smile back.

"I'm sorry, daddy," she said, drawing out her big, brown eyes into a pout. Her mother's eyes, chocolate brown and wide innocence. Both of them had Nessie's eyes…

I sighed, bringing her in close. "Ay, Chris, what are we going to do with you?"

She didn't answer and I immediately became suspicious when she giggled out of nowhere.

"Christina—"

"Alright, alright," she conceded, burrowing her face into my chest, "I'll stop bothering Billy. But daddy, this time when I talked to him, Billy was being bad too! He called me a bra—"

I put my hand over her mouth and shushed her, chuckling nevertheless. "Chris, Chris, Chris, you little devil." I kissed her on the forehead. "You remind me so much of myself."

She looked up at me with wide eyes. "Really?"

I paused for a moment. "Yeah…which means you _are_ a brat—"

"Hey!"

But I had already thrown her onto the floor and took off running, her barely audible screech of laughter pealing through the air as she chased after me.

******************************Edward******************************

_And then we can put the hovering bumper cars over there, and the ponies back there. I hope Chris still likes ponies …_

I shook my head with a grin. Of course, leave it to Alice to make a big deal out of the twins seventh birthday.

Seventh.

It seemed only yesterday Nessie was getting married and Bella and I were helping her pack her things for her own house further towards the reservation.

Hell, it seemed only yesterday I was holding my beautiful, baby girl in my arms while Bella transformed into a vampire.

I sighed, bringing my hands to my face at the same moment that the same beautiful girl rushed into the room with a frown on her face.

"Dad, did you see—"

I smiled at her and pointed towards Jasper and Alice's room. She smiled at me and was up there before I could blink.

That was another thing I missed: I was no longer daddy, just 'dad.' Of course I was also 'grandpa' as well.

The thought alone brought another smile to my face. The twins were definitely worth all the headaches Nessie—and Jake—had caused me. Though Christina was sure giving Nessie a run for her money …

"Edward," Bella was suddenly beside me, a mischievous smile on her beautiful face. Mine lifted with the mere sight and I had my arms wrapped around her before she could finish.

"Bella, Bella," I whispered seductively in her ear. "You're just what I need right now, let's get back to—"

"Grandpa! Grandpa! Guess what—oops, sorry." Christina immediately turned away at the same moment that Bella disentangled herself from my iron grip. I frowned. I understood Nessie didn't want the twins exposed to vast amounts of 'affection' but this was getting ridiculous. It wasn't like they were going to run off and get intimate the first chance they got.

The change of thought made me growl. _Ok, so maybe it is a good thing to keep them this sheltered …_

"Don't worry, sweetheart, grandpa and I weren't doing anything bad," Bella assured, opening her arms for the porcelain little girl to run into. She blew me a dazzling smile and settled comfortably into my wife's arms.

"So what is my Christina so happy about?" I asked her, smiling gently at her. She beamed and raised her chin proudly.

"I caught up to daddy today! He called me a brat and so I started chasing him to beat him up, and I caught him!"

"Yeah, gave me a real beating too," Jake suddenly chimed in. I raised an eyebrow at him and then looked at Christina.

"Did you beat him good?"

"Hey!" Jake cut in, but Christina was already nodding eagerly.

"I sure did! I even—"

Billy was suddenly flying through the air and I easily stood up to catch him. His wide eyes lessened slightly despite his rapid heart beat. I put him down and eyed the culprit with a frown.

"Emmett, you shouldn't throw them around like that. What if I hadn't heard you coming down? Billy could've gotten—"

"Don't worry, grandpa, even if you hadn't caught me I would've been fine. I bruise but it goes away like after a day and then—"

"Yeah but you still cry about it—" interrupted Chris with a smirk. I eyed her meaningfully and she quickly snapped her mouth shut. Emmett came over with a big grin and ignored the tension.

"Billy's tough. And anyway, since when have you 'not heard' Edward? Please …" he rolled his eyes and then winked at Billy. I stroked my grandson's hair, smiling nonetheless. As fortunate as Billy was, I knew he didn't consider himself tough at all.

_Emmett's just trying to be nice, I bet. I wish I could be as brave as Chris, how embarrassing. I hope I didn't hurt grandpa when Emmett threw me. Hopefully I got the bruise and not him …_

I smiled with his thoughtfulness. Billy was something else entirely, and yet so many things about him reminded me of someone I knew so well.

Bella looked at me through grinning eyes, shifting her knee slightly so Billy could join his sister on her lap. The position looked uncomfortable enough but even if Bella could 'feel' uncomfortable, I knew she'd do anything for those she loved.

Nessie and Jake were often baffled with where Billy had gotten his sensitive side from, his constant worry over the safety of others, his lack of self-confidence … I remembered a time when it was Bella worrying about the safety of a vampire versus her human self, when it was Bella who could never see how more than good enough she was for me …

I had no doubt who it came from.

******************************Billy***********************************

_I don't know, Chris, it doesn't look safe, mom wouldn't be too happy if we—Christina! Get back up here!_

_Oh Billy, stop you're whining! It doesn't look like anyone's gone through here in years. And it kind of smells like—_

"Ooof!"

Chris looked down at me with a raised eyebrow before helping me up. I could already smell the lingering traces of wolf and…

"Hybrid." Chris answered for me. She was already making her way towards the darker tunnels of the cave. I followed hesitantly, Chris's curious thoughts running wildly through my head.

_Wow, this place is perfect! I bet no one lives here anymore, the smells are pretty faint, but even if they did, Billy and I could take them! I bet—_

I was already shaking my head at her, though the only reason she knew I was saying 'no' ahead of time was the link within our mind.

_No way, Chris, the minute we see anything, we're out of here—_

_But Billy, that would be no fun—_

_Chris, I'm older, so what I say—_

_You're only older by ten minutes!_

_So what I_—"What was that noise?" I finally spoke aloud. Beside me Chris froze, her hands already a hold of my elbow.

_I—I don't know … can you see anything ahead?_

I squint my eyes. I could hear my sister's longing thoughts for superior senses. It really was a shame that she was the 'brave' one but I was the 'gifted' one …

_You're telling me_ …she grumbled. I ignored her and put my enhanced senses to use, taking only the slightest step forward. Much to my dismay, however—

_Chris, get back here!_

_Calm down! Geez, even in my head you're so whiny …_

_Chris, I mean it, I can smell something and it doesn't—_

_I smell it too, it doesn't smell too bad—_

_Only because you can't smell the other thing like I can, I mean it, get back here—_

And then I saw it.

A tall pale figure fleeting from behind a pillar of caked dirt. Before I could get to her in time, however—

"_Aaaaagghh_!"

"_Christina_!"

And then everything went black.

* * *

**So in case anyone is confused with this preface, Christina and Billy are Nessie and Jake's kids, and they actually have a telepathic gift with each other. Cool huh? Lol, anyway, let me know what you think and I'll see when I can start writing the rest of this Twilight story. Again thank you all! It's been an amazing experience, until next time, love ya!**


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